


Mead and Mistletoe

by NowSeeHere



Category: Call the Midwife, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Christmas Fluff, F/F, Magic, OK definitely smut, Pupcake - Freeform, Romance, Witches, maybe some smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:33:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21782977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NowSeeHere/pseuds/NowSeeHere
Summary: It's the Harry Potter alternate universe Christmas fluff fic that no one asked for! All your favorite characters from Call the Midwife are here, but they're all professors at the famous school for witchcraft and wizardry!
Relationships: Delia Busby & Patsy Mount, Delia Busby/Patsy Mount
Comments: 54
Kudos: 116





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Edit: Many thanks to Jojo who helped me correct a ton of spelling and grammatical errors! 
> 
> Once again, I attempt to make a fluffy and kind of smutty one shot and it turns into a monolith. Working to have this done by Christmas day to give everyone all the warm and fuzzies with our favorite couple here for the holidays. Fingers crossed I make it! 
> 
> Below are the houses and classes for each character. I did my best to try and match their personalities to their respective houses, but if you feel strongly about someone being in a house you don't think they belong in, feel free to let me know in the comments! 
> 
> Gryffindor  
> Julienne - Headmistress  
> Phyllis - Transfiguration - Head of House  
> Valerie - Quidditch coach and flight instructor  
> Shelagh - Apparition  
> Evangelina - School nurse
> 
> Ravenclaw  
> Lucille - Astronomy - Head of House  
> Cynthia - Defense Against the Dark Arts  
> Monica Joan - Divination and Magical Theory  
> Chummy - Care of Magical Creatures
> 
> Slytherin  
> Patsy - Potions  
> Trixie - Charms - Head of House  
> Jenny Lee - Arithmancy  
> Ursula - Librarian
> 
> Hufflepuff  
> Delia - Herbology  
> Barbara - Histroy of Magic - Head of House  
> Winifred - Muggle Studies

‘Lumos.’ 

Patsy flicked her wand and illuminated the cramped little closet that was nothing but drawers from the floor to the ceiling, little bits of aged, curled parchment  labeled each and every one. She was only checking to see  which of her potions ingredients needed replenishing before the  new term started for the autumn , and she was going to be damn sure she was prepared for the hoard of incoming students. 

She had charmed a quill to make a checklist on parchment  of  the things she was low on; baneberry, horned slug, griffenclaw (she would need to send out a special order for that one) and knotgrass. Patsy knew she wouldn’t be using that in any of the potions made in class, but she liked to keep it handy for brewing her own batch of mead that she particularly liked to enjoy around the solstice. Other ingredients she was low on such as mushroom, pondslime, and dragonflies made her think she would be spending her afternoon by the Black  L ake collecting many of these. 

‘Knox,’ she said, and the light silently went out. 

She locked the closet behind her and grasped a large satchel, filling it with thin, empty jars with cork tops she found around the dingy potions classroom. Slinging it over her shoulder, she slipped on a trusty pair of wellies and headed out from the dungeons and up the staircase to the main hall. Passing by Nearly Headless Nick and  waving a quick ‘hello’ and ‘welcome back’, she left the great hall and trotted outside where she headed for the massive greenhouse that was on the grounds behind the castle. 

Once there, all was eerily quiet, the only sound being the dripping water from a  tap across the room. It was humid inside, great conditions for growing plants and herbs but the heat had Patsy wiping her brow with the sleeve of her robe. 

‘Hello? Professor Beery?’ she called out, looking around. All she saw were rows of potted plants, dusty old flower pots, the odd butterfly fluttering by and caterpillars crawling up the wall. 

‘Aah!’ 

A shout from the other room caught Patsy's attention, and she quickly rushed to the other side of the greenhouse where she was met with the sight of a woman dodging what looked to be the advances of an overgrown sunflower with teeth!

‘Redu-reduc-ahh!’ the woman shouted, ducking left and right with her wand held high as the thing snapped at her. 

Quickly, Patsy drew her wand and pointed it at the thing. 

‘Immobulous!’ she shouted, causing a bright light to flash from the tip of her wand. 

The monster sunflower halted it’s motions mid attack, leaving the woman underneath it to blink several times, gulping down her nerves rather audibly. 

‘Reducto,’ she finally eked out, flicking her wand. 

The sunflower sunk to the size of a galleon, and the woman clasped it in her hand and placed it in its own pot. 

‘Thanks for that,’ she said with a nervous laugh, ‘that’ll be the last time I leave the engorgement pellets near the water jugs.’ 

Patsy stood there simply looking at this woman, thinking she could have been a student, she looked so young. Patsy had thought she was one when she first laid eyes on her, if it hadn't been for her brightly colored robes. 

‘Where is Professor Beery?’ Patsy asked. 

‘Prof- why, he retired last term,' the woman replied, looking surprised that Patsy didn't know this bit of information. 

‘What?’ 

‘Oh, sure. Decided to call it quits after his wife needed intensive care at St. Mungos after an incendio charm went awry. Packed it all up and took her to the Galapagos where he could work on his research and she could relax in the sun sipping intoxicating beverages from a coconut.'

The woman laughed and moved to wipe the sweat from her brow, only managing to smear her forehead with soil. Typically, Patsy would be put off with so much dirt, but the woman’s toothy smile with endearing dimples redeemed her . 

‘So have you taken his place as herbology professor?’ she asked. 

‘I have. Names Delia Busby,’ she said, holding out a thickly gloved hand covered in soil and ants. 

‘Ahem,’ Patsy said, smiling awkwardly. 

‘Oh, sorry,’ Delia smiled more, removing her glove and holding out a spotless hand for Patsy to shake. 

'Pleasure.’ 

‘And you are?’ Delia asked, using her thumb to tip her hat and get a better look at Patsy. 

‘Patience Mount. Potions.’ 

‘Ah,’ Delia said, wiggling her finger knowingly, ‘Potions professor, hmm? I had a feeling you’d be down here.’ 

‘Oh you did, did you?’ 

‘Need to stock up for your classes, don't you? I remember  Professor Bartholomew coming down on several occasions to visit  Professor Beery for such things.'

'Is that so?' 

'Oh yes, well, I spent a lot of time here when studying for my NEWTS, you know, found the plants relaxing and a lot less distracting than studying with my mates.'

Delia kicked over a ceramic flower pot and used her wand to stun a pixie that has been hiding under there. 

'Anyway, saw the two of them together all the time exchanging ingredients and the like. Always kind of thought Bartholomew and Beery had a more than friendly relationship with how much time they spent together,' Delia grinned, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. She plucked the pixie up by the wing and chucked him out the window. 

'Well, I assure you I prefer to keep all my relationships here at school strictly professional,’ Patsy said, removing her bag from her shoulder and placing it with a resounding 'thump' on a nearby table.

'Oh, I wasn't implying you wouldn't,' Delia began, the tips of her ears turning red, but was cut off by Patsy. 

‘I’ll be needing the following ingredients, if you wouldn't mind,' Patsy began and cleared her throat as she unfurled her parchment. 

Before she could eloquently prattle off the list of things, Delia snatched the paper from her hand and read it for herself. 

‘Mmhmm, mhmm,’ Delia nodded along as she read, ‘I can certainly get you most of these but, mushrooms and dragonflies from the Black Lake?’ 

‘What about it?’ 

‘Well you can certainly find those things of much better quality in the Forbidden Forest.’ 

‘Well I certainly know  _ that _ but I’m not about to risk my life to collect mushrooms for a gaggle of students only interested in making love potions.’ 

‘Nonsense,’ Delia said, taking a bottle from Patsy's satchel and filling it with Mandrake root, ‘you want to give your students the best experience possible, don’t you? Then you ought to use the very best ingredients.’ 

‘My students have used ingredients plucked from around the Black Lake before and have done just fine with their potions, thank you. I don’t fancy being chased out of the forest by a herd of centaurs simply because I might have snapped the wrong twig.’ 

‘They’re harmless,’ Delia shrugged indifferently and plucked another bottle from Patsy’s satchel, this time filling it with motherwort leaves. 

'I beg to differ. May I have my list back please? I have a lot to do before nightfall.' 

'Won't take but a moment, especially if we go together. I know just where to look, too. Come along now.'

Patsy huffed as Delia grasped her own empty jug and disappeared through the back door of the greenhouse towards the Forbidden Forest. She very much didn't take kindly to being ordered around by a junior professor, but she very well wasn't about to let the woman wander around by herself in the forest given all the dangerous creatures lurking. And with the sun beginning to set low in the sky the sooner they collected her ingredients and got out of there, the better. 

Patsy snatched her satchel and scurried after the woman who had a rather quick pace despite her short stature. 

Rabbits and other creatures scurried along in the shadows as they approached a path that led deep into the forest. Patsy nearly drew her wand when a long horned beetle buzzed by her head and made her hold her satchel over her head lestanything else decide to try and attack her. 

Delia's quick pace had the two of them deep into the forest before Patsy realized how thick and dark the trees grew here. 

'Ah, there we are,' Delia said, crouching at the base of a thick oak tree to scrape off a good helping of mushrooms and moss growing from the bark. 

Another thing buzzed by Patsy's head, only this time she did draw her wand to cast a stunning spell on a lowly dragonfly that fell to the ground. 

'Accio,' Patsy said with a flick of her wand, and she captured the dragonfly in her jar. 

'There's bound to be more where that came from,' Delia said, rising from her spot, 'over there by the water.'

To emphasize her point, Delia drew her wand and stunned her own dragonfly buzzing by. 

Patsy followed her gaze and saw a small brook that led to a pond, several other insects hovering around it, toads reaching out with their elongated sticky tongues to capture them and enjoy a snack. 

Something else caught her eye that made Patsy's breath catch in her throat. 

While Delia was busy collecting bugs, Patsy slowly crept toward a tree with a long silvery strand hanging from a bit of the bark peeling from the trunk. 

' _ Unicorn hair _ ,' she whispered to herself. 

Slowly, she removed a pair of tweezers from her satchel and gently plucked the wiry strand of silver hair, carefully tucking it into a glass tube and sealing it shut with a cork. 

Alright so maybe this journey into the Forbidden Forest wasn't a waste of time after all. 

No sooner did she think that did the ground begin to shake.

Patsy looked up to see a murder of crows scatter from the trees, leaves falling around her. 

She and Delia locked eyes as they both drew their wands. Delia ran over to Patsy before turning her back to her, and Patsy did the same, wands out and looking around for any sign of danger. 

'What do you think it is?' Patsy asked quietly. 

'Troll?' Delia suggested. 

'Centaur stampede?' offered Patsy.

The ground shook again with such force it rattled all the glass bottles and jars in Patsy's satchel and Delia almost fell to the ground.

'Oh Merlin, I don't want to stick around to find out,' Delia bemoaned. 

Delia grasped hard onto Patsy's arms and suddenly Patsy felt her entire body contort and spin inward. In a flurry of grass and leaves fluttering about, the two women disappeared with a soft 'pop' and appeared again in an instant at the edge of the forest near where they had entered. The two both gave a shout and a strangled moan as they landed hard on the ground in a tangled mess of arms and legs. 

'Sorry, always been much better at getting around on a broom,' Delia laughed awkwardly as she disentangled herself from Patsy. 

Patsy coughed up a leaf and glared at Delia. 

'Least we still have all our limbs! I've gotten loads better since I took my exam in 7th year,' Delia said happily as she got to her feet. 

'When was that? Last spring?' Patsy said rather annoyed as she brushed the grass off her robes. 

The jibe was gone ignored as the ground shook again, more violently, accompanied by a loud 'boom' that rattled both their heads. 

Both wands were out again, Patsy to her feet as she frantically looked around, though Delia spotted the source of the noise in an instant. 

'G-g-g-giant!' she shouted, her wand shaking in her hand as she held onto her hat. 

Delia flicked her wand, her aim rather terrible as she was shaking from nerves, and her charm made a nearby branch break from a tree, dropping with a  _ thunk _ on the creature's head. 

This did not seem to affect the giant whatsoever as they merely turned and scratched their head, looking down at the two of them curiously. 

A look of recognition graced the giant's face as she laid eyes on Patsy. 

'Oi, steady on love. It's only me here,' she said. 

Patsy clutched her heart and lowered her wand, feeling all the adrenaline leave her body. 

'Chummy, oh you gave me a fright,' Patsy breathed, looking up at the half giantess. 

Chummy grinned and gave a hearty laugh, her eyes crinkling behind her half-moon spectacles. 

'What on Earth are you doing to make such a racket?' Patsy asked, looking around to find several trees had been plucked out of the ground and tossed aside, leaving behind several large holes and a mess of dirt. 

'Just clearing some land here for the little one,' Chummy said, nodding to her son sitting in the vegetable patch 'need a lot more room to run and play now, don't you Freddie?' 

Patsy and Delia watched as the young boy, already over six feet tall, bit into a pumpkin like it was an apple. 

'Precious little guy,' Chummy cooed proudly at her son. 

Patsy felt the sensation of someone quivering in fear behind her, and she looked over her shoulder to see Delia looking up at Chummy skeptically. 

'Oh, pull your socks up, woman, it's just Chummy. She's harmless,' Patsy chided, pulling Delia out from behind her into full view. 

'Who's that you got there, Professor Mount?' Chummy asked curiously, pushing her glasses up her nose. 

'This'll be Delia Busby, new herbology professor. Professor Busby, this is Chummy, she's in charge of Care of Magical Creatures for the school.'

Delia gulped down her nerves and tipped her hat politely, giving a meek 'Hello.' 

'Did you two just come from the Forbidden Forest?' Chummy chided, looking to Patsy, 'you ought to know better than to go at this time of day, what with the sun setting. You wouldn't want to be caught dead in there after nightfall what with the spiders.'

'Oh, Chummy we're perfectly capable of making it out unscathed,' Patsy said, narrowing her eyes at Delia, 'for the most part.'

'Term hasn't even begun and you're already getting yourself into no good situations. No better than when you were a student yourself,' Chummy playfully wagged her finger. 

'I did no such thing. I was a model student, if you remember. Made Head Girl after you left.'

'You were Head Girl?' Delia asked. 

'Of course I was. Best Slytherin ever had if I do say so myself,' Patsy boasted, holding her shoulders back. 

'You're both Slytherin?' Delia asked with wide eyes, looking to Chummy, 'I didn't think they let giants into Hogwarts.'

'Half-giant, thank you,' Chummy said, 'and I was in Ravenclaw house. This one here needed a lot of help with her OWLS if I remember correctly. Gave her a few tips and tricks for studying even though I was busy with my NEWTS.'

'Yes Chummy, your help has served me well, and I'm very grateful. No need to mention it every time we bump into one another,' Patsy said with a roll of her eyes. 

'Sorry, I feel like I would have noticed a half giant when I was coming up in school,' Delia mumbled. 

'Oh, I'm an old bird,' Chummy said with a wave of her hand, 'you probably came along long after I graduated.'

'Well, we’d best be off then, I'd imagine supper will be ready in no time and I need to stock up my supply closet,' Patsy said, placing a hand on her satchel. 

The three women said their goodbyes and together Patsy and Delia walked back towards the castle, Delia trotting slightly behind Patsy. 

'Don't you want to know what house I was in?' Delia asked. 

'There's no need to tell me. You were very obviously Hufflepuff.'

Delia made a noise to indicate that Patsy was being absurd. 

_ 'Very obviously _ ,' she repeated, tutting, 'how do you know? I could have been Gryffindor.'

'Certainly not,' Patsy smirked, 'what with you cowering at the sight and sound of anything. You're a real scaredy cat and a Gryffindor is unabashedly courageous to a fault.'

'I'm courageous! I saved you earlier in the forest!' 

'From the sounds of a harmless half giant that you couldn't even throw a hex at.'

'She caught me off guard!' Delia shouted, turning pink. 

'Regardless, you were still so spooked you missed!' Patsy teased, rather enjoying getting a rise out of the woman. 

The sound of someone screaming joyfully reached their ears, and it sounded as if it were getting closer and closer with each passing second. Both women turned their eyes to the sky to see a figure fast approaching on a broomstick that left a trail of white smoke coming out the end of it. The figure whirled past them so fast that leaves and grass were kicked up and swirled around the two women. Patsy's robes fluttered about her knees and Delia had to hold onto her hat with both hands as they turned in tandem to see the figure make a crash landing in a large pile of hay just outside the greenhouse. Several tufts of the dried grass vaulted into the air as the figure emerged on the other side and landed on the ground with a loud  _ 'thud' _ . 

'Speaking of idiot Gryffindors,' Patsy mumbled, tucking her hair back into her bun. 

'Oh, be nice,' Delia quipped, 'they could be really hurt!' 

The maniacal laughter coming from the woman laying flat on her back said otherwise. 

Patsy and Delia ran over and looked down at the woman who seemed to be smiling like a lunatic. Her hair was a mess and the goggles she had been wearing for protection were half on her cheek and forehead. 

'Merlin's beard,' she said, elated, 'I think I broke the sound barrier.' 

'Think you might have broken your neck is what,' Patsy quipped. 

Together, Patsy and Delia leaned down and grabbed an arm to help the woman stand to her feet. 

'Oh, hello Patsy. Patsy's friend,' she said rather deliriously as Patsy dusted her off and plucked bits of hay out of her windswept hair. 

'Valerie, this is Professor Delia Busby,' Patsy began. 

'Professor?' Valerie asked, giving Delia a once over. 

'Herbology. This'll be my first term teaching,' Delia said, picking Valerie's broom from out of the haystack and giving it an admiring once over before handing it back to Valerie.

'Ah, right, Professor Beery’s retirement,' Valerie said conversationally, 'was wondering who they were going to bring on. I put forward Professor Monica Joan but I guess she wants to stay on with Divination.'

Valerie gave Delia an enthusiastic pat on the back that had the smaller woman lunging forward. 

'Well, welcome aboard, Busby, good to have you on. Don't let those students give you the run around. They're mostly sweet but you get a few who you'll have to keep an eye on, clever little-,'

'Yes, thanks. I'm sure I'll manage,' Delia offered meekly,' already have half a mind to save cleaning out the slug cages for detentions.'

'That's the spirit!' 

'Professor Busby and I were collecting ingredients for our lessons,' Patsy chimed in, hands on her hips, 'and you almost crashed into her classroom!' 

'Sorry about that! Just testing out my new Nimbus Aquinas,' she said proudly with a wiggle of her eyebrow, 'masterful in the air  _ and _ underwater. As the quidditch coach and flying instructor I can't just let the students have a better broom  than me, you know. Wouldn't be right.'

'Giving it a test drive out on the grounds then?' Patsy grimaced disapprovingly.

'It's wicked fast mate, wanna give it a go?' Valerie grinned, holding her broom out to Patsy. 

'Absolutely not. I've had enough excitement for one afternoon.'

'Professor Busby?' Valerie asked, looking to Delia hopefully. 

'Better not,' Delia said hesitantly, holding up her hands, 'I've got a few things to tidy up in there before I head in for supper.' 

'As do I,' Patsy said, giving her satchel a pat. 

'Oh well I can help with that, gimme this,' Valerie quipped.

Before she could react, Valerie reached out and snatched Patsy’s satchel away from her, and she threw it over her own shoulder as she mounted her new broom. 

'Wait, Val,' Patsy pleaded. 

'Don't worry Pats, I'll keep it nice and safe for ya!' Valerie said, fixing her goggles before kicking off the ground. She was gone and up in the air in a flash, her robes fluttering behind her. 

'Valerie!' Patsy shouted to no avail. Valerie was hooting and hollering from the thrill of the ride too loud to hear Patsy's call of protest. 

Patsy cupped her face with both hands and watched as Valerie disappeared behind the astronomy tower.

'No, my unicorn hair!' she groaned, 'Those are so difficult to find out in the wild!' 

Patsy could hear Delia give a resounding sign next to her. 

'I'll go after her,' she said, taking off her hat and handing it to Patsy. 

'Oh,' Patsy blinked. 

As someone who was very much used to looking out for herself she was struck by Delia's willingness to help her in this instance. 

'You've already done so much for me today I couldn't possibly ask-,'

Delia faltered, her ears turning a slight shade of pink as she removed her robes next, hanging them on a hook by the door that was meant for a gardening tool. 

Patsy raised an eyebrow at the sudden transformation, the robes she had been wearing doing nothing for Delia's figure, no matter how colorful they were. She was wearing muggle clothing too, a simple hooded jumper, a pair of blue jeans, and boots muddy from having been wandering around all afternoon. She was a bit more trim than those robes made her out to be. 

'Its nothing, really, Professor Mount,' she stuttered slightly, giving a small smile, 'Besides, she's being dreadfully unsafe and I wouldn't want to see her get hurt.' 

She reached for an old broom leaning against the wall of the greenhouse and mounted it. 

'I'll make sure that unicorn hair gets back to you unscathed.'

With that she kicked off and whizzed up along the astronomy tower, following the trail of smoke Valerie had left behind. 

Patsy was rather touched that Delia would go through the trouble, but at the same time, thought those Hufflepuffs were too nice for their own good. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet some of the professors in this chapter, and Patsy and Delia try not to have the entire staff gang up on them for having rather noisy occupations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to Jojo for giving this and future chapters a read through. 
> 
> Also I tried to describe a bit of how I imagine Patsy to look, and well, if I didn't do a good enough job to paint a picture for you, just think Mary Poppins.

The Great Hall had been condensed to the size of a large dining room with one long table and enough chairs for all the professors and staff to sit. Many of the returning professors had arrived and were standing around, drinking and snacking on hors d’oeuvres, catching up with one another about their summer holiday and what they had in store for their students this term. 

Patsy was idling by the window with Delia’s hat in her hands, looking out onto the grounds for any sign of the two women who’d jetted off on their broomsticks earlier. She had grown rather concerned when neither of the women came back to the greenhouse after some time and now they were late coming to supper with the rest of the professors. 

‘Oh, Patsy, I know the summer holiday is as good as over but you don’t have to look so sad about it.’ 

Patsy looked over to her friend and fellow professor, Barbara Gilbert. The woman was head of Hufflepuff house and professor for History of Magic, a subject Patsy found quite dull and boring and she always managed to find an excuse to leave the room once Barbara got on a roll discussing the beginnings of the Great Elf Wars of 1273. 

'No, I think Professor Miller has got the doom and gloom covered for the lot of us,' Patsy replied, nodding in the direction of Cynthia Miller, Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Despite her small stature, many found the woman frighteningly intimidating, her pale skin and inability to look as if she ever aged led many to assume the woman was actually a vampire. She gazed out the window with a thousand yard stare, the look of a woman who had seen some horrors. 

'Well I for one am excited for the start of term,’ Barbara carried on happily, ‘The ministry has approved a new set of texts recently printed by the late Professor Binns. I've been reviewing it the last few nights and I really like that it takes a more in depth look at the Soap Blizzard of 1378,’

Barbara's eyes grew wide and excited as she went on and Patsy felt trapped, hoping one of the other professors would come and chat with them about anything else. Patsy spotted Winifred and Shelagh deep in conversation about Shelagh's muggle husband Patrick and son Timothy. Winifred was known for being fascinated with all things muggle as the Muggle Studies professor and cornered Professor Turner every chance she got. Patsy sighed despondently as it looked like the Apparition professor was just as every bit trapped as Patsy felt while Barbara continued to go on about her new texts. 

Thankfully, the front doors to the hall burst open, and Valerie appeared strutting through the room quickly and looking rather miffed. Delia followed close behind, dressed once more in a clean pair of robes with Patsy's satchel clasped in her hands. 

Valerie was mumbling something under her breath as she approached the Astronomy professor Lucille Anderson, head of Ravenclaw house. The Gryffindor rested her head on Lucille's shoulder and sighed dramatically. 

‘Can’t believe she caught me. On a ruddy gardening broom no less!’ 

'Now now Valerie, surely you know there are other skilled riders out there other than yourself,' Lucille quipped, patting her back even though she looked thoroughly unamused at Valerie's petulance. 

'Yeah, but I didn't realize I was going up against _the_ Delia Busby, seeker for Hufflepuff,’ Valerie stated dramatically, pointing a finger at Delia, ‘They won the Quidditch Cup _every year_ while she was on the team!’ 

Delia grinned sheepishly as everyone within earshot looked right at her. 

'Knew I shouldn't have spent all that money on that bloody broom,' Valerie bemoaned into Lucille’s shoulder as Lucille rolled her eyes, patting the women soothingly on the back again.

Delia approached Patsy and held out her satchel. 

'Here you are, Professor Mount. Ah, I see you’ve kept my hat nice and safe,’ she smiled, tucking a lock of her brunette hair behind her ear. 

The motion made Patsy blush for reasons unknown to her, and she struggled to stutter out a response. 

‘Of course, um, thank you for retrieving my things.’ 

‘Anytime,’ Delia said breezily, situating her hat on her head, ‘All contents accounted for too. I added some falcon feathers left behind after Professor Dyer plowed through their nest.'

Several pairs of eyes turned to Valerie who looked thoroughly embarrassed. 

'I did not _plow_ through,’ she said through gritted teeth. 

‘What, did it jump out in front of you then?’ Barbara teased. 

Barbara and Lucille tittered as Valerie's nostrils flared in anger. 

'Ah, Professor Busby, you're here.’ 

Patsy and Delia turned around with a start to find the headmistress, Professor Julienne standing right behind them. The woman, ever calm and collected wearing her purple robes and witches hat.

'A word, if you please,’ she said, leaving no room for argument. 

Delia gulped. 

'You too, Professor Mount.'

Patsy’s eyebrows shot up, and she could feel herself break out into a cold sweat as she shared a look with Delia, who looked equally nervous. 

The three women walked to a corner of the room away from the curious ears of others. 

'It has come to my attention that both of you have apparated on school grounds,’ Julienne asked, looking to both Patsy and Delia curiously to confirm her statement. 

Patsy whirled around to look at the window she had been standing at earlier, only now the sill was occupied by a scruffy looking old owl, narrowing its eyes and looking directly at her. 

_‘Phyllis_ ,’ she seethed, glaring, ‘you snitch.’ 

The owl shrieked and spread its wings menacingly. It fluttered slightly into the room and transformed into a woman with curly grey hair and decadent blue and white robes. Patsy watched as Phyllis Crane, Transfiguration professor and head of Gryffindor house, harrumphed at her as she straightened her witches hat on her head. 

‘Um, we might have,’ Delia said sheepishly, scratching her cheek. 

‘Oh, what is this _we_ ,’ Patsy huffed, annoyed that their little foray into the forest had gotten them the unwelcome attention of the headmistress, ‘I certainly did not initiate any apparation, nor did I do it willingly.’

'Ah, well… we were in a bit of a hurry, I suppose,’ Delia continued, looking bashful. 

'Professor Busby,’ Julienne started calmly, ‘the rules have not changed since you were a student here. There is absolutely no apparating within the grounds of the school unless specifically given permission from Professor Turner.'

'Wait, I thought the Forbidden Forest was not in the boundaries of the school property?' Patsy asked, 'Surely we're allowed to apparate past the barrier.'

'You were wandering about in the Forbidden Forest?' Julienne blinked in disbelief at this new tidbit of information. 

'Oh, well… I mean,' Patsy faltered slightly, unsure of what to say. 

'Sorry, that was my idea too,’ Delia chimed in, though Patsy noticed her voice was quivering a bit. 

Patsy looked over to the Herbology professor and saw that she was holding back tears, on the precipice of crying.

Patsy’s shoulders slumped, and she could half hear Professor Julienne lecturing the two of them on how the Forbidden Forrest was forbidden for a reason, that even though they were not students they ought to set an example and keep away from there unless absolutely necessary. 

Delia stood next to her nodding, her eyes cast downward to her laced leather boots and looking thoroughly ashamed. It made Patsy feel bad for the woman, getting off to this kind of start right before term began. The lecture, however, made Patsy think back on all that had transpired that afternoon, and she clutched her satchel with the coveted unicorn hair. It made Patsy think that instead of being annoyed with her, she should be grateful. 

‘Well, if that’s all, I think we can settle in for some supper, wouldn’t you say? We have a lot to discuss this evening in preparation for the new term.’ 

‘Yes, Professor,’ Patsy replied for the both of them to Juliennes retreating form. The other professors began to take their seats at the table as she approached. 

Patsy turned to look at Delia, who in turn looked rather forlorn from the scolding they had just received. Patsy hoped a change in subject might help. 

‘Professor Busby, thank you very much for returning my satchel,’ Patsy said, clutching said satchel close to her chest. 

‘Oh, you’re welcome,’ Delia replied, seeming distracted, ‘I feel like I’ve caused you a lot of trouble today, Professor Mount. I’m sorry.’

‘N-not really,’ Patsy replied, feeling uncharacteristically shy all of a sudden, ‘I actually had quite a bit of fun with you.’ 

Delia blinked, looking up at her rather shocked, ‘Really?’ 

‘Of course. It’s not every day you get to fend off ferocious sunflowers and wander around the Forbidden Forest. And with Valerie, well, you didn’t have to go after her, but you did. Merlin knows what she may have done with everything we collected today if it weren’t for you.’ 

‘Well,’ Delia sniffed, giving a bit of a smile that made Patsy want to smile too, ‘it was rather fun to ride around the castle on a broom again. The view is rather stunning from up there.’ 

Patsy felt better that Delia seemed to be feeling cheery again, and she blurted out the next question before she could stop herself. ‘Would you like to sit with me at dinner this evening?’ Patsy ignored the fluttering feeling in her stomach as she awkwardly pressed on, ‘I could introduce you to some of the professors, if you like. I mean, that is, if you want to.’ 

Delia bounced on her toes a little and looked as if she were biting back a smile. ‘I’d very much like that Professor Mount,’ she replied. 

‘Oh, well,’ Patsy cleared her throat, trying to mask just how happy that made her, ‘shall we?’ 

The two joined the rest of the staff at the cramped table, Patsy finding them a spot wedged between Barbara and Lucille, working very hard to not sit Delia close to Valerie lest the Hufflepuff hurt her fragile pride any more than she already had that day. 

Wine and butterbeer and mead were passed around as a great feast suddenly appeared on the table. Chummy became excited enough to jump out of her seat to snag a whole chicken and bashed her head on a chandelier. There was a fuss of people scrambling to move their drinks and their plates from the drippings of candle wax, but soon once things settled everyone began to fill their plates with the scrumptious looking supper. 

A woman sitting across the table from Patsy and Delia looked over at the two of them curiously from over her glass of sherry. 

‘No work wife joining you this evening, Patsy?’ she quipped, her eyes honing in on Delia. 

Patsy rolled her eyes at her fellow Sytherin and Arithmancy professor, Jenny Lee. ‘Jennifer, if you’re referring to Trixie, then no. I have no idea where sh-,’

Just then the doors burst open, clamoring against the wall so hard all the decorative plates rattled noisily. All heads turned to the doorway to see an elegant looking blonde strut into the room with some poor house elf trailing behind, carrying several pieces of luggage under their arms. 

‘Speak of you-know-who,’ Patsy mumbled, taking a swig of mulled wine. 

‘Yoo-hoo!’ Trixie called to the room with a little wave. 

Delia dropped her fork mid bite, unable to take her eyes off the woman, much to Patsy’s chagrin Not that she was surprised, of course. Trixie was half Veela after all, and stunningly beautiful. The way Delia was staring was pretty much how everyone reacted to seeing her for the first time. 

‘So sorry I’m late, Headmistress, but I’ve just come from summering in Milan and _my goodness_ was it hard to leave.’ 

‘Lots of other summer travelers?’ Winfred asked. 

‘No, I just didn’t want to leave!’ 

Trixie took a seat in between Jenny and Phyllis, giving both of them an enthusiastic _Hello_! accompanied by friendly kisses on the cheek that made the two women stiffen awkwardly. Her eyes landed on Patsy across the table and she grinned. 

‘Oh, my dear Patience, how I _did_ miss your company this summer. Shame you couldn’t join me at the resorts. I was able to attend the most fabulous parties and catch up on the latest fashions,’ Trixie posed, edging the rim of her feathered cap with her thumb and forefinger, ‘I picked up this _wonderful_ Malkin exclusive in one of the shops that you _have_ to visit sometime. Of course I had to snag two if you’d like to try it on now.’

Trixie snapped her fingers at the poor house elf, who picked up a large hatbox and tottered over to Trixie holding the box over their head. 

Patsy’s eyes turned toward the ceiling, somewhat attempting to see her ginger fringe that curled delicately on her forehead. 

‘Trixie, my hair is not styled to accommodate that hat’, she replied, gesturing to her hair piled high on top of her head in a softly swirled pompadour style. 

‘Then change your hair!’ Trixie shrugged. 

‘No,’ Patsy bristled, ‘Besides, it isn’t proper to wear a hat indoors.’ 

Jennifer chimed in, sounding bored, ‘Oh Patsy, _do_ lighten up. You follow old rules of etiquette that no longer apply.’ 

‘She’s right you know, you could stand to loosen a button or two on your blouse there,’ Trixie added, looking pointedly to the redhead. 

Patsy frowned, looking down at her perfectly fine white blouse. The sleeves puffed out slightly to give a feminine touch and were tightly buttoned along the wrist. Her dark skirt reached her ankles, keeping her rather cozy in the drafty dungeons. It may have been modest attire, but it suited her just fine. 

‘Yes, Trixie, well, not that I have to remind you of my occupation, but as potions professor here, it wouldn’t be wise of me to wear loose clothing _or_ expose much skin, would it,’ Patsy replied, picking up her goblet from the table and swirling her beverage. 

‘I think you look nice,’ Delia quietly remarked from beside her. 

Patsy sipped her drink and tried to ignore feeling the tips of her ears turning red at the remark. 

Trixie halted her motions when she finally noticed Delia, the woman removing her cateye sunglasses to get a better look at her. 

‘Well aren’t _you_ adorable! Patsy, have you taken on a student for extra tutoring?’ Trixie beamed. 

Patsy could hear Delia huff beside her. 

‘It’s _Professor_ Busby, actually,’ she stated firmly, sitting up straight in her chair. 

‘Of course!’ Trixie extended a gloved hand across the table, ‘Beatrix Franklin, at your service.’ 

‘Charmed,’ Delia replied, not sounding the least bit enthused.

‘It’s _charms_ , actually,’ Trixie stated, leaning back in her seat and producing a notebook and quill out of thin air, ‘my specialty. And to be frank I am just _so thrilled_ to get on with the new term. My time away has given me the most _splendid_ ideas to incorporate into my lessons!’ 

‘ _She’s only excited because all the students fancy her_ ,’ Patsy whispered to Delia, who chuckled.

Trixie licked her thumb to turn a page in her notebook when she was stopped by a tap on her shoulder. 

‘Professor Franklin, if you don’t mind waiting until after supper to relay your tales, I’d very much like to hear what Professor Julienne has to say,’ Phyllis bristled, looking very much like the owl she could transform into. 

‘Oh, but of course! I’ll just go and freshen up and come ‘round when you’re ready to give the heads of houses their briefing.’ 

‘Just a moment, Trixie,’ Julienne said before the woman could rise from her seat, ‘I think it’s important for all staff to be here, including head of houses.’ 

‘Which house is she the head of?’ Delia asked Patsy quietly. 

‘Slytherin, of course.’

‘She’s _head_ of _Slytherin_ house?’ Delia replied, surprised. 

‘What can I say,’ Trixie replied, snapping her notebook shut with a toothy grin, ‘I’m _ambitious_.’ 

Delia gulped and tucked back into her yorkshire pudding. 

The other professors in the room turned their attention to Julienne as she began to give an eloquent speech welcoming everyone back and giving a warm _hello_ to the new person in the room, Patsy noticing Delia sinking in her chair slightly at the attention. She continued on to give the usual briefing she gave the professors at the start of every term. 

‘O _h here we go_ ,’ Patsy could hear Valerie bemoan in a whisper, ‘ _her usual spiel about staying away from the Forbidden Forest and to remind the students that the third floor corridor is out of bounds_.’ 

‘Something to add, Professor Dyer?’ Julienne remarked, pointedly looking to the flying instructor. 

‘Erm, no Professor!’ Valerie stated, sitting up on her chair and smiling politely. 

‘As I was saying, in addition to staying away from the Forbidden Forest, please do remind the students that the third floor corridor is out of bounds.’ 

Patsy smirked as she watched Valerie roll her eyes and suppress a strangled groan. 

‘Professor,’ came a voice at the end of the table, and everyone looked to see the school nurse, Madam Evangelina, raising a pointed finger in the air. 

‘Yes, you have a comment Evangelina?’ 

The portly woman rested a heavy elbow on the table as she addressed the room. 

‘Would you lot _please_ remind your prefects and head students to keep an eye out for the other students on the moving staircases? _Especially_ the first years. I always run out of skele-grow by November due to some of the nasty falls they take and I’m plum tired of it!’ 

‘Duly noted. Thank you, Evangelina. Does anyone have anything more to add before dessert is served?’ Julienne asked, looking about the room. 

‘Ooh, me!’ Chummy exclaimed, and in her excitement bumped her knee against the table, causing all the plates and silverware to rattle noisily. Many of the professors quickly grasped their goblets to keep them from spilling. 

‘Yes, what is it Professor Knokes?’ Julienne asked. 

‘All I ask is that Professor Mount try to limit the amount of explosions this year to an absolute minimum,’ she said, looking rather nervous to see Patsy’s reaction. 

‘What explosions?’ Patsy asked stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest, ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about!’ 

‘Oh you very well know what, Professor Mount,’ Phyllis quipped, ‘with all the noise coming from the potions classroom sometimes you'd think a stampede of trolls were going through setting off fireworks.’ 

Patsy opened her mouth, aghast. 

‘The noise spooks the flobberworms!’ Chummy added pleadingly, ‘I can’t very well be teaching my lessons properly with that lot scurrying off into the forest every time there's a blowout from the dungeons!’ 

Patsy turned her nose up, feeling personally attacked. 

‘Well I certainly can’t help it if students refuse to follow directions! Besides, what’s a good potions master without a little experimentation, hmm? So what if there’s an explosion every now and again. Who knows, I could be instructing the next Swoopstikes!' Patsy finished, referencing the first potions master known at the school. 

‘Here, here!’ Delia cheered her support, raising her goblet. 

‘Oh don’t get me started with the mandrakes in the greenhouse, Professor… er, what was it?’ a stern looking woman chimed in. 

‘Busby.’ 

‘Professor Busby!,’ Madame Ursula remarked, rolling her eyes, ‘So noisy, that lot, the students can barely focus when they come to study in the library.’ 

‘I can hear them all the way up in the astronomy tower,’ Lucille added her discontent. 

More grumbling could be heard from around the table as Patsy and Delia both tried in vain to defend themselves and their noisy occupations. 

‘Now, now,’ Julienne chimed in, working to speak loud enough over everyone, ‘everyone has made their concerns quite clear. Erm, Professor Franklin?’ 

‘Yes Professor Julienne?’ Trixie asked, sitting up in her chair and looking as if she were finally paying attention now that everyone was focused on her again. 

‘If you would please, sometime tomorrow before the students arrive, go to the potions classroom and green house and give them both a strong muffling charm, would you?’ 

‘I shall do so first thing!’ Trixie stated happily, the enchanted quill marking it down in her notebook. 

Dessert soon appeared before everyone on the table and the chatter dwindled to quiet side conversations as Patsy and Delia looked at one another. 

‘Can you believe it?’ Patsy asked, ‘them all ganging up on us like that.’ 

‘Seems we are to be partners in crime this year,’ Delia added with a charming smile. 

‘Indeed,’ Patsy added with a smirk, quite looking forward to the prospect. 

* * *

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up, some explosions.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The school year starts with a bang, and there's more than one kind of explosion between Professor Mount and Professor Busby in this chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry impeachment ya filthy animals. 
> 
> Special thanks to Jojo for giving this a read-through and wonderful feedback. 
> 
> Enjoy!

The new school year started with a  _ bang _ as far as Patsy was concerned. During supper that Sunday evening as all the students arrived and the first years were sorted into their respective houses, Patsy devised lesson plans to test just how strong Trixie’s muffling charms were. There was more than one occasion that week where Patsy needed to send someone to Evangelina to repair their hearing or spend extra time in the evenings repairing tables and chairs that had blasted across the room and shattered against the stone walls. 

Patsy even found herself cracking a smile at the sound of broken glass and shrieking in the distance, knowing full well that Delia was testing the charms limits with her lessons on replanting mandrakes. 

As the weeks carried on and summer turned to autumn, it went unnoticed to Patsy just how often she found herself walking down to the greenhouse in the evenings, needing more of this or that for her potions classes, and Delia always happily obliged. More often than not, Patsy would stay until long after the sun went down just to chat and have a cup of tea. While Patsy didn’t realize it at the time, she always left her visits with Delia feeling much more cheery and relaxed after a long day dealing with the students. She grew to look forward to their visits, and Delia eventually began to have a pot of tea ready for them to share. 

More time passed, the leaves on the trees around the Black Lake turning from a lush green to the beautiful autumn colors or red, orange, and yellow. The scent of pumpkin spices and ginger wafted from the kitchens, and the roaring fires in nearly every room gave the castle a cozy feeling. 

Before Patsy knew it, it was Halloween, a day where she knew she had a lot to do and very little time to do it. She had tests to give, essays to mark, and above all unruly students to deal with who were excited for the holiday. She already had to sit through her lunch overseeing detention for a pair of boys who enchanted dozens of fake spiders to crawl out from some poor girls cauldron as a joke. 

Patsy had the boys sulking over their parchment as they begrudgingly wrote their lines, and she did the very same thing hovering over her desk and marking what seemed to be an endless stack of essays. She only looked up from her work when a plate of hearty meats and root vegetables was placed in front of her. Patsy’s stomach growled with hunger at the sight of it. 

Delia was standing over her desk, the women's robes and wellies displaying evidence of a particularly dirty day of activities and lessons, looking around at her classroom quite curiously. 

‘My this room hasn’t changed a bit since I was a student,’ she marveled quietly to herself. 

‘What’s this for?’ Patsy asked, gesturing to the plate of food. 

‘You didn’t make an appearance at lunch so I thought I’d bring you something,’ Delia replied with a kind smile. 

Patsy coughed out an awkward ‘thanks’ before she dismissed the two boys from their detention, telling them to go and grab something to eat quickly before their afternoon lessons began. 

They rushed out of the room and Delia took a moment to walk around, her gaze honing in on the poorly looking plants and herbs in jars sitting by the much too narrow windowsill.

‘Goodness me, Professor Mount, do you plan on using these poor dittany plants in your antidote to common poisons?’ she tutted. 

‘I might,’ Patsy pouted, ‘why, what’s wrong with them?’ 

‘Your molly and moondew shrubs are looking as if they have seen better days as well,’ Delia continued, shaking her head as she observed the piddly looking plants. 

Patsy watched as she looked around the room and placed her hands on her hips. 

‘This is certainly no condition for plants to thrive.’ 

‘Why not? I water them,’ Patsy said defensively, giving the potatoes on her plate a sniff.

‘It’s just that it’s so dark in here, they’re getting practically no sunlight.’ 

‘Well we  _ are  _ in the dungeons,’ Patsy added, taking a bite of chicken. 

‘Regardless, I know the wall they're facing would get them several hours of strong sunlight if these windows were just a bit wider.’ 

Delia used her wand to clear the wall, moving all portraits, plants, desks and chairs to a safe distance on the other side of the room. 

‘Stand back, please,’ Delia said, firmly pointing her wand at the wall. 

‘Wait, Delia, what are you-,’ 

Her warning went unheard as Delia shouted  _ BOMBARDA _ , causing a great flash to emanate from the tip of her wand. The stone wall blast open and created a large hole, nearly blinding Patsy with the midday sunlight suddenly coming through despite the smoke that was billowing from the rubble. 

Delia quickly flicked her wand over and over again, directing the stones to reshuffle and set, creating a wider space for a new window that let in much more light than before. The broken glass swirled from the floor and was mended to create a lovely stain glass that protected the classroom from the elements while still allowing for plenty of sunlight to come in. 

Delia flicked her wand again and set the desks and chairs just like they had been set before, and brought the sickly looking plants back over to sit on the new windowsill. She cast a charm to add some decorative vines that blossomed with pretty pink flowers to border the new window and fill in any cracks. 

Patsy coughed and waved the remaining smoke away from her face, brushing the dust off her dark robes. She did have to admit, as abrupt as the explosion was, Delia certainly had a way of getting things tidy again, which Patsy appreciated. 

‘There, much better,’ Delia said, her wand swirling over the plants with a charm that made them open and take in the light, ‘I can see an improvement already.’ 

Patsy blinked, her eyes wide as she marveled at the quick improvement of her herbs. 

‘My that’s…’ she was about to give Delia some thanks before she was rendered momentarily speechless by the woman's warm smile. 

‘Now you won’t need to trek down to the greenhouse so often,’ Delia said resoundingly, looking proudly over her work. 

Patsy’s heart sank, and her chest flared with anxiety and anger, suddenly upset that Delia would go through all the trouble of making sure she did  _ not  _ come and visit the greenhouse as often as she did, not come and visit  _ her _ as often. 

Patsy went back to her desk, and she began frantically scribbling remarks on a students parchment as she worked to control her breathing. 

‘I didn't realize my visits were so cumbersome and unwelcome,’ she said, her tone short. 

‘Oh I didn’t mean-,’

‘Not to worry Professor Busby, I’ll be sure to only visit when I’m in dire need of supplies. I’ll take great care to grow what I need myself from now on so as to not bother you.’

‘Patsy, you don’t-,’

Groups of third year students began to trickle into the classroom, leaving Delia to snap her mouth shut. 

‘Good day, Professor Busby. I’m sure you need to get on with  _ your  _ lessons as well.’ 

Delia sighed sadly and nodded before she turned and left, nearly bumping into a group of Gryffindors as she exited the classroom. 

Patsy threw down her quill and rose from her desk, knowing very well that the students would have difficulties concentrating given the festivities that day. Many were still chattering away excitedly about the autumn feast they had to look forward to that evening or the great pumpkin games that Chummy hosted every Halloween. She typically participated in the festivities by spending the day teaching the students how to brew a purple, smokey concoction called Witches Heart, a drink that made ones eyes turn a beautiful emerald green. Though right now her own heart just wasn’t in it. 

* * *

Patsy was in her chambers late that evening, a low fire crackling in the hearth as she worked by candlelight at her desk. She went back and forth between grading papers and writing an owl to a dispensary in London where she would now need to order the custom made ingredients she neither had the skill nor time to grow herself. She had hastily taken inventory of all the things she was low on in her supply closet once lessons were done for the day, and compiled a list, so upset with Delia for the implication that her visits were unwelcome that now, late into the evening, she was having a terrible time deciphering her own chicken scratch that she threw her quill down and poured herself another helping of pumpkin punch. 

‘Excuse me, Professor Mount.’ 

Patsy glowered, her gaze turning to the portrait on the wall of the late Elizabeth Burke,  notable Slytherin and former headmistress of Hogwarts in the 1590’s. Her portrait bared an uncanny resemblance to the Muggle Queen Elizabeth the first. 

‘What is it, Elizabeth?’ Patsy asked, uncorking the bottle of the intoxicating beverage with a loud squeak. 

‘You have a visitor,’ she sighed blithely, ‘small one. Thought she was a student at first, but she claims she’s a professor. Certainly not a Slytherin.’ 

‘Who is it?’ Patsy asked.

‘Well don’t ask me,’ Elizabeth replied with her nose in the air, flapping her folding fan open with a loud  _ thwack  _ and fanning herself with it, ‘I’m not your house elf.’ 

‘Who on earth would possibly come visit me at this late hour?’ Patsy asked herself, retrieving her pocket watch from her waistcoat pocket to see it was nearly two in the morning. 

‘Shall I let her in, or are you going to make the poor thing stand in that dreadful tunnel all night?’ 

Patsy waved her hand and the portrait swung open, revealing a nervous looking Delia standing there with her wand held high, light coming from the tip of it. She was shaking slightly from the draft, and had her dressing gown clutched tightly in her fist over her chest. 

‘Oh, thank goodness I’ve finally found the right room,’ Delia breathed as she stepped in, ‘thought I’d be wandering the tunnels till morning.’ 

The portrait shut behind her and Patsy sipped her pumpkin punch as Delia rubbed her arms to warm up. She took a moment to look around the room, her eyes taking in the scenery. Patsys chambers were stone walls adorned with row after row of shelving that held a multitude of glass jars of every shape and size, all holding potions and ingredients of all sorts. A great leather chair and desk sat in the middle, scattered with neatly stacked piles of parchment and quills and plenty of ink. Another large chair sat close by with a little end table next to it, holding a crystal decanter of amber brown liquid that was certainly not butterbeer. 

‘My, never been in the dungeons before other than for the potions classroom. Wasn’t expecting your sitting room to feel as cozy as it does in the Hufflepuff common room,’ Delia smiled. 

Patsy remained nonplussed, glaring, and Delia’s smile faded as she realized her compliment fell flat. 

She cleared her throat. ‘Pat… erm, Professor Mount, I couldn’t sleep.’ 

‘Do you need a potion, Professor Busby?’  Patsy quipped impatiently, ‘Thought you’d have some  sprigs of valerian root to mix in your tea or something to help with that.’ 

‘No, it’s not… I’ve just been thinking about… earlier.’ 

‘You mean when you blew a hole through my classroom?’ Patsy asked, her voice unwavering and calm even though her heart began to race. 

She turned back to her papers and pretended to be uninterested in what Delia had to say. 

‘No… well, I mean, I  _ am  _ sorry if I may have disrupted the structural integrity of the potions classroom,’ Delia began, twirling her wand in her fingers nervously, ‘I suppose… I just…’ 

Delia looked frantic, working to find the right words, much to Patsy’s annoyance. 

‘Professor Busby, I’d really like to get back to my work if you could please get to the point.’ 

Delia’s lip quivered, and Patsy faltered nervously, wondering what she was going to do if the woman started bawling. 

‘I’m sorry!’ Delia shouted, ‘I feel like I’m always trying to be helpful but I only make you angry and I’m sorry.’ 

Patsy couldn’t think of anything to do but blink, not quite knowing what to do, ever, when someone was overly emotional like this. Her only defense in this instance was to remain completely frozen. 

‘I didn’t mean for you to stop coming ‘round when I said you didn’t need to visit the greenhouse for supplies. I suppose I just thought, you know, coming down there so often might be a burden and I… I guess I just wanted to make it a bit easier for you.’ 

Delia looked down at the ground and tugged at the end of her long nightcap that was draped over her shoulder. 

‘I don’t want you to get the idea that I don’t enjoy your company. In fact, I enjoy it very much… when I’m not being daft and doing silly things to upset you.’ 

Patsy sighed, her anger relenting slightly at the womans sincere apology. She rose from her desk and retrieved another glass from a nearby shelf. She filled the second glass with pumpkin punch and handed it to Delia. 

‘Would you like to sit down?’ she asked, nodding towards the two armchairs by the fire. 

Delia nodded, and the two sat in front of the fire, quietly sipping their drinks as they watched the last of the flames crackle in the hearth, the embers filling the room with a soft orange glow. 

‘Oh, oh my,’ Delia quipped, holding her hand over her mouth as her cheeks turned crimson, ‘that’s a mighty strong batch, Professor.’ 

Patsy merely smirked as she took another sip. 

‘I like it strong.’ 

Delia turned even more red as she hiccuped. 

Patsy took another gulp of her drink to try and gather the courage to speak again. She swirled what remained in her glass and slouched in her seat, gathering up all the courage to say what she was really thinking. 

‘I like the changes you made,’ she said after several moments of silence. 

Delia merely blinked at her from over her glass. 

‘To the potions classroom,’ Patsy emphasized, ‘I… actually think it looks a lot better.’ 

‘Oh,’ Delia said, looking as if she were holding back a smile as she held her glass in her lap. 

When Delia didn’t respond, she finally looked over to the woman and saw her reach into her dressing gown, retrieving something wrapped in a handkerchief. 

‘I brought this for you,’ Delia said, unraveling it to reveal some yam cakes that were a specialty during this season, but not at Hogwarts. 

‘I didn’t think they would have these in the kitchens…’ Patsy said, looking at them curiously. 

‘They don’t. I grew these in my personal garden and I made them.’ 

Patsy’s heart leapt into her throat as she tentatively reached out and took the cakes. 

‘Whatever for?’ she asked. 

‘Well I noticed you didn’t come down for supper, and you weren’t at Chummy’s pumpkin games. I grew worried that you hadn’t eaten so, well... I like to bother the house elves as little as possible so I stayed up to bake them myself.’ 

Patsy didn’t know what to do or say, being so honestly touched by the gesture. She could only smile. 

‘This is the second time today you’ve brought me food,’ Patsy observed. 

‘Well I just want to make sure you eat. I just…,’ Delia trailed off, fidgeting in her seat. 

‘What?’ 

‘I just notice when you’re not around is all,’ Delia said quietly, taking a small sip of her drink. She looked as if she were desperately trying to hide behind her glass.

Patsy sighed, feeling her heartbeat begin to race again, only this time it was excitement and not anger. 

She took one of the cakes and broke it in half, extending it back to Delia. 

‘I too notice when you’re not around,’ she replied softly. 

The fire crackled as Delia reached out for the cake, their fingers touching briefly before she pulled away. 

Patsy brought her half of the cake to her nose and took a deep breath. The still warm, spiced cake had her mouth watering. She took a bite and it melted in her mouth. It was one of the most delectable things she had ever tasted. 

‘Delia, this is divine,’ she said, looking over to the woman, whose cake was gone. The sight of Delia licking her fingers of the cream cheese icing had Patsy feeling hot under her robes. 

Delia smiled and kicked her feet excitedly in her oversized chair. 

‘I concocted the recipe myself,’ she said proudly, ‘Like to make them this time of year when I’m missing home. My Mam and Da like to bake together. Said that’s what drew them to one another when they were first together.’ 

‘Impressive,’ Patsy remarked. 

‘Why’s that?’ 

‘Just, it’s uncommon for witches and wizards to bake when there’s house elves.’ 

‘They’re muggles, actually.’ 

‘Oh,’ Patsy replied, feeling a bit silly. 

‘I would bake more, but I just haven’t the time. Or anyone to bake for, really,’ Delia went on quickly, seeming embarrassed about having revealed that little tidbit about herself being muggle-born. 

Patsy took notice and decided not to comment on it. 

‘Well you’ve got at least one person now,’ she remarked as she finished off her cake and licked her thumb. 

Delia merely smiled and played with the end of her nightcap again that hung over her shoulder.

‘It makes me very happy to hear you say that, Patsy.’ 

Patsy broke off a bit of the second cake and handed it to Delia. Their fingers touched again, lingering for just a moment longer, and Patsy needed to force herself to blink and pull away, gulping down her nerves as she straightened up in her seat. 

‘I’m sorry to say I would be unable to return the gesture,’ she replied, ‘Cooking and baking has never been my forte, but I can be very creative with my cocktails.’ 

‘So I see,’ Delia said, hiccuping right on cue as she took another sip of Patsy’s pumpkin punch. 

The two continued to chat idly, content that there was no longer any ill feelings between them, until the ember flames in the fire finally died out. Patsy tried, and failed, to cover a tired yawn with the back of her hand. 

‘I think I’ve kept you long enough, Patsy. I’d best be off,’ Delia said, slowly rising from her seat. 

Patsy felt wide awake all of a sudden as she watched Delia turn and walk away from her. She followed after Delia as she approached the portrait of Elizabeth Burke, secretly wishing she would stay, but knowing she just… couldn’t. 

‘Will you be alright?’ Patsy asked, and Delia turned to look at her, ‘getting back I mean. Would you like me to come with you?’ 

Delia smiled, pushing open the portrait and illuminating her wand to use as a torch.

‘I’ll be quite alright, Patsy,’ she said reassuringly, albeit giving a shiver as she clutched her dressing gown to keep warm, ‘I may have taken a bludger or two to the head back in the day, but my memory is still as sharp as a gryffinclaw.’ 

Patsy used her wand to quickly cast a warming charm that she knew would keep Delia feeling quite comfortable in the drafty tunnels. 

‘I’m… happy you found your way here tonight,’ Patsy said softly, feeling light in the head as she looked down at Delia. 

Delia simply smiled, placing a hand on Patsy’s arm that made Patsy’s skin feel like it was on fire. 

‘Goodnight Patsy.’ 

‘Goodnight Delia.’ 

Too soon for Patsy’s liking, Delia had turned back towards the tunnel and disappeared behind the portrait, leaving Patsy standing there alone in her dark chambers. 

Well, not entirely alone. 

‘What happened to you keeping your relationships with other professors  _ strictly professional _ ?’

Patsy glared at the portrait, feeling as if whatever spell she had been under had been broken in an instant. 

‘Oh, go to sleep already, will you?’ Patsy grumped, finally feeling exhausted and wanting nothing more than to go to sleep. 

‘And a Hufflepuff, no less. Really, Professor?’ Elizabeth quipped, aghast. 

‘ _ Muffliato!’  _ Patsy said hastily, leaving Elizabeth mumbling to herself with her hands angrily on her hips. 

Before Patsy finally retired to bed for the night, she flicked her wand to move the two chairs in front of the hearth closer together. 

In case Delia ever decided to come back for a visit, she wouldn’t need to reach as far to hold her hand. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Professor Mount has a little chat with her friends and colleagues Professors Franklin and Dyer, to push her in the right direction regarding one Professor Busby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to Jojo for giving this a read through.

The snow barreled down around the castle that December afternoon, many of the students scurrying through the Viaduct Courtyard, playing around while they should have been using this time to run along to their afternoon classes. The after lunch crowd left a set of professors to shepard the students to keep them from dawdling too long making snowmen or igloos with the freshly fallen powder. 

Professor Mount stood huddled together with Professors Franklin and Dyer, the woman taking the occasion of the inclement weather to actually wear a hat, much to Trixies delight. Her heavy emerald green cloak with the golden trim nearly reached her ankles, keeping her quite warm and comfortable despite the cold weather. She accentuated her look with her trusty house scarf, the Slytherin colors of green and black, wrapped around her neck, covering her mouth and nose from the elements. 

Trixie and Valerie were similarly dressed for the cold, with Trixie in her signature flamboyant pink coat with the fur trim, white gloved hands kept warm in a fluffy white fur muff that she held against her midsection. Valerie dressed a little more casually as always, simply wearing her usual riding gear under her long robes with the addition of mittens and Gryffindor scarf draped around her shoulders. Her riding goggles were pushed up around her forehead, making her fringe stick out every which way. 

Patsy gave a sigh between them, the gray skies making her feel terribly blue. For the first time in her life that she could remember, she was not at all excited for the approaching Christmas holidays. Not because she wouldn't get plenty of rest during her break, but it would be the longest stretch of time she would go without seeing Delia since they had first met. She had grown quite attached to the herbology professor, had grown used to seeing her every day, and she was sad to think of not being in close proximity, let alone not able to lay eyes on the woman, for nearly two whole weeks! 

Patsy closed her eyes and shook her head, thinking she really needed to get ahold of herself and her feelings. There was no use pining over a woman with whom she knew a romantic relationship wouldn't be possible. 

'And just why are you so glum, Professor Mount?' Trixie asked, looking over the puffy fur trim of her coat to lock eyes with Patsy.

‘Oh, nothing Professor Franklin,' Patsy sighed.

‘Come on Pats, out with it. You’re not at all like your usual cheery and bright self, now, are you?’ 

Patsy glared at Valerie's attempt at sarcasm. 

‘She’s right you know. Aren’t you happy about the upcoming holiday?’ Trixie asked. 

‘I suppose,’ Patsy replied blithely, ‘It’s just, erm… well, nothing of importance.’

‘Does it have anything to do with a certain botanist heading home to visit family in Wales soon?’ Trixie pried slyly. 

Patsy huffed, her breath coming out in a white puff above her head. Trixie took her cantankerous silence as confirmation that her assumption was correct. 

'Aha! So my hunch has been right all along, Patsy you dark horse. I knew you were carrying a torch for the woman from the moment I saw you two sitting together at Professor Juliennes dinner at the beginning of term.'

'I do not, nor have I ever, carried a torch for the woman,' Patsy lied. 

‘Wait, what? Pats,  _ our  _ Pats, fancying someone?’ Valerie asked, looking excited. 

‘Would you two  _ please _ address me as Professor in front of the students,’ Patsy quipped annoyed. She did not at all like being the topic of conversation, especially in regards to her feelings for another person. Another professor, no less. 

'Fine,  _ Professor Mount _ ,' Valerie rolled her eyes, 'but really. You and Professor Busby, hmm?’ 

'No.'

'Have you given her a good snog under the mistletoe yet?' Valerie asked, nudging Patsy with her elbow. 

'Certainly not,’ Patsy replied. 

'Tis the season!' Trixie added. 

'I do not snog,’ Patsy replied, looking as if she were above such an indignant act.

'Maybe if you did a bit  _ more  _ snogging you wouldn’t be grumpy all the time,’ Valerie quipped. 

Patsy picked up some snow and shoved it down the back of Valerie's robes, causing the woman to let out a shriek and kick her feet. 

'Now, now, Professor Mount, you very well know our good friend is only teasing,' Trixie remarked. 

'Well I do  _ not  _ like to be teased on such personal matters,’ Patsy replied, thrusting her hands back into her robes for warmth, ‘Besides, what I may or may not feel is of little consequence.'

'How come?' 

'Because I have no idea how Professor Busby feels for me. Or if she would even reciprocate if I…’

‘Confessed you fancied her?’ Trixie finished for her. 

Patsy grumbled from behind her scarf. 

'How do you know? I think she quite fancies you,' Valerie added. 

'I disagree. She and I are… merely friends,' Patsy replied, wishing she didn’t feel the stinging pain in her chest at the thought. 

'You sit with one another in the Great Hall every day,’ Trixie remarked. 

'So? That's what friends do.'

'Think I even spotted you cheering on Hufflepuff at more than one quidditch match this season.’ 

'How dare you accuse me of such a thing,' Patsy narrowed her eyes spitefully, her voice low and threatening.

'What?! I've never seen you cheer for Gryffindor!’ Valerie said, outraged, ‘I've barely seen you cheer for Slytherin.' 

'You're right. I'm predominantly booing your bad calls when you referee,’ Patsy replied. 

'I've seen you nearly every night tracking to the greenhouses,’ Trixie went on, dusting a bit of snow that was collecting on top of her muff. 

'So? I need things for my classes.'

'Every night?' Trixie asked, one eyebrow raised. 

'You sure you're not snogging?' Valerie added, closing one eye and observing Patsy closely. 

'I assure you, we are doing nothing of the sort!’ Patsy replied, feeling herself turn red in the cheeks, ‘It’s just… she…’ 

'She what?' Valerie asked. 

'She bakes.'

'Bakes?' Trixie replied curiously. 

'Yes. Just little cakes and biscuits and things.'

'Well I didn't know that, did you?' Trixie asked, leaning forward slightly to look at Valerie. 

'No I didn't.'

'Well I wouldn't think so,’ Patsy replied, ‘Far as I know I'm the only person she's ever baked for as long as she's been here.’ 

'She's only baking cakes  _ for you _ !?' Valerie replied, outraged, her hands on her hips. 

Patsy merely shrugged, happy that her scarf was hiding her smirk at Valerie's umbridge. 

‘Oh, well that settles it mate, she doesn’t like you at all,’ Valerie added with a snort. 

‘Professor Mount, please!' Patsy hissed at Valerie, 'And what do you mean she doesn't like me?' she added, her eyebrows furrowing with worry. 

‘She doesn't like you because she's  _ in love with you! _ ’ 

‘Oh, don’t be silly,’ Patsy tutted, starting to regret telling her friends anything. 

‘Professor Mount,, in  _ my  _ experience any witch or wizard that goes out of their way to make something from scratch for another person is  _ definitely _ in love,’ Trixie chimed in, ‘you should see all the handmade trinkets and whatsits I’ve collected over the years from students and admirers who have fallen in love with  _ me _ . I could fill an entire shop!' 

Patsy ignored her friends superfluous comment and felt a sinking in her chest, thinking back on all the evenings she and Delia had shared together where Delia had made her delicious things to share. Patsy recognized that it did take a lot of effort to make something oneself from scratch, but Delia always seemed delighted to make her things and share treats with her. Come to think, if Patsy had ever missed a meal it was always Delia to bring her something from the kitchens because she would worry about her having enough energy to keep up with the students. It made Patsy wonder if  _ that _ was how Delia showed feelings of affection.

‘Well now I feel even more terrible,’ Patsy sighed, ‘all this time she’s been making things for me and I’ve always come to visit her empty handed, never reciprocating.’

‘Well Christmastime is the perfect opportunity to show her how you feel, isn’t it?' Valerie remarked. 

‘How?’ 

‘Buy her lots of presents!’ Trixie suggested. 

‘Well that doesn’t narrow it down at all,’ Patsy gave an uncharacteristic slouch, ‘She isn't someone who would just like any old thing anyway, it would have to mean something special, and as it stands I have absolutely  _ no  _ idea what that would be!'

‘Isn’t she muggle-born?’ Valerie asked, ‘I hear when muggles like one another it’s customary to give one another flowers.’ 

Parsy hummed, sounding as if she were considering the idea. 

‘Yeah, just give her some flowers and see how she reacts,’ Valerie added, looking as if she were proud of her idea.

‘You mean there's more than one kind?’ Patsy asked, looking confused.

‘Don’t be daft, of course there’s more than one kind of flower,’ Valerie replied, ‘course this time of year you might need to go to a special shop to get some.’ 

‘Could I go to Hogsmeade?’ 

‘Don’t see why not,’ the Gryffindor shrugged. 

‘Muggle-born, you say?’ Trixie chimed in, her finger to her lips as she looked up in thought. 

‘Oh don’t you start with the blood purity nonsense,’ Valerie said. 

‘No, silly, I was just going to remark that perhaps Patsy ought to consider a change of attire, is all.’ 

‘Why? She likes how I dress just fine,’ Patsy bristled. 

‘Yes, but her being muggle-born, I would think she would find witches like us, how do I say this, rather intimidating?’ 

‘What do you mean  _ like us _ ?’ Valerie asked. 

‘Stylish, of course! Think about it, Professor Mount, you always look sharp and on point with how you dress, commanding authority, whereas Delia is up to her elbows in dirt most of the day, her robes are always a dreadful mess.’ 

‘So? I have… been working on myself to not care about that so much,' Patsy replied. 

'You, overlooking dirt?' Valerie gasped, eyes wide, ‘Merlin’s beard, you  _ do  _ fancy her!’ 

Patsy grunted, choosing to ignore the comment. 

‘Whenever I see her around you she’s always a nervous wreck,’ Trixie added. 

‘Is not,’ Patsy replied petulantly. 

‘Actually she  _ is  _ pretty fidgety,’ Valerie added, nodding in agreement with Trixie, ‘maybe it’s because she fancies ya.’ 

‘Well what on earth am I supposed to do about that?!’ Patsy exclaimed, causing several students to look at her oddly and walk even more briskly to their next lesson. 

‘Do what I’ve been telling you to do for ages now and relax a little,’ Trixie replied. 

‘And what, changing my attire is somehow supposed to do that?’ 

‘Well yes! Dress down, for once in your life, Patsy,’ Trixie sighed, ‘Look, I was given a gift not too long ago of a pair of muggle trousers. Odd material, strange color, too, but it’s all the rage with the muggles and I must insist you come to my chambers soon to try them on.’

‘Trousers?’ Patsy asked, unamused, ‘Really?’ 

‘What's wrong with trousers?’ Valerie asked, looking down at her own pair of snug fit slacks that were perfect for one to hop on and off a broom with little interference. 

‘Yes, really,’ Trixie quipped, ‘Oh, blast, what were they called. Bloo? Blewjeen?’ 

‘Who is Bloojin? Are they some kind of muggle tailor?’ Valerie asked, looking thoroughly confused. 

Patsy sighed, rolling her eyes to the heavens. She would need to have Winifred come and give her friends a crash course on muggle attire. 

‘Trixie, are you trying to say someone gifted you a pair of blue jeans?’ Patsy asked. 

‘Oh, so you have heard of them?’ Trixie’s expression lightened significantly. 

‘Who? Who is Jean? Who are they already? Why are they blue? Are they sad? What do they have to do with trousers?!’ Valerie asked to deaf ears. 

‘Yes. I’ve seen Delia wear them before. When we first met, actually.’ 

‘Delia was  _ wearing  _ someone named Jean?’ Valerie asked, looking rather disturbed. 

‘For the love of Merlin, Valerie, the  _ material of the trousers _ is called jeans. They are the colour blue. Ergo, blue jeans.’ 

‘Ah,’ Valerie calmed down instantly, ‘Righty-o. Carry on then.’

‘Well, I must say I personally would only ever wear them if I were to go out in the muggle world disguised, you know, don’t want to stand out  _ too  _ much.’ 

Patsy kept her mouth shut at the remark, given Trixie being half Veela, the woman stood out no matter what she wore.

‘By the sound of it, if Delia is wearing them regularly they must be comfortable, no?’ 

‘I suppose?’ 

‘Don’t you think she would relax around you more if she saw you wearing something more comfortable, too?’ 

‘Perhaps,’ Patsy replied, shrugging. 

‘Well then you must come and visit me soon and try them on. I admit they are a little too big for me, but they may fit you perfectly.’

Patsy narrowed her eyes at the woman spitefully. 

‘The  _ length _ , Patsy! They’re too  _ long  _ for me.’ 

A bolt of light flew past all three women, their heads turning to follow it’s destination at once to see it hit a first year Hufflepuff girl. She scrunched her nose and sniffed, and the three professors watched with wide eyes as she sneezed out an origami crane that fluttered away. 

They all turned their heads in tandem in the other direction to see a third year Slytherin boy with his wand out, looking devastatingly regretful for casting a hex on another student in front of three professors he did not seem to have noticed standing there before. 

Trixie immediately cast a disarming charm and the boys wand flew out of his hand and into hers. 

‘I’ll get the girl,’ Valerie said. 

‘We’ll take care of this one,’ Patsy replied. 

Her and Trixie stalked towards the boy who was left shivering where he stood, and not from the cold, while Valerie collected the girl to escort her to the school nurse, Madame Evangelina, the poor thing sneezing out a series of multi-coloured origami cranes along the way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always love when Trixie and Valerie talk some sense into Patsy. Will bring the fluff for the holidays - conclusion to come soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Delia off to Wales for the holidays, Patsy prepares herself for a lonely Christmas - that is, until her little shopping trip in Hogsmeade takes a turn for the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Christmas everyone! 
> 
> Enjoy the fluff!

Patsy left the shop in Hogsmeade and shivered, bringing her free hand to clutch the coat she was wearing close to her chest while the other held a festive looking box in front of her. 

The streets were bustling with last minute shoppers like herself that Christmas eve, and the snow falling heavily around them did nothing to deter the crowds. Enchanted little toys and whatsits whizzing by overhead from shop to shop and the scents of cakes and sweets emanating from the festively decorated doorways only seemed to bring out more and more witches and wizards to shop and drink and be merry. 

Patsy was sad that the gift she had gotten for Delia would have to wait until she returned from Pembrokeshire, but she was happy to have seen the woman off at the train station earlier that morning. 

Alright, not so much happy as utterly despondent that she was to spend so much time away from Delia. A bloody two week holiday, no less. 

Another witch bumping into Patsy broke her  from  her thoughts, and she needed to focus on walking, an endeavour that proved rather difficult for her that evening since she agreed to appease Trixie and wear these blasted blue jeans. She was wearing them to get the practice in she didn't know she needed. The material was so light and tight around her legs that she fell flat on her face  courtesy of  walking around with the sudden feeling of weightlessness around her legs when she traded in her heavy robes for these. She felt like she were wearing a second skin, and as time went on she began to understand how these could be so popular, but even after wearing them most of the day, she still didn't feel used to them. 

To make matters worse, the rest of her apparel was hardly anything she had owned for herself, save her knickers and thermal undershirt with the buttons undone at the collarbone. 

The wellies she was using to trudg ing through the snow  in were hers, but the woolen stockings were an early Christmas gift from Shelagh, who went back to Aberdeen a few days prior to be with family. The coat she wore belonged to Lucille, another muggle born who had a few articles of muggle clothing in her wardrobe. She left Patsy her coat for the time being, the woman having set off for a warmer climate to visit family for the holiday. 

Even the cap she wore actually belonged to Fred  the caretaker , the man stopping her in the courtyard of the school to have a quick chat, saying that she could borrow his flannel cap with the earflaps to keep the chill off while she was in town. His pet cat Mrs. Gee had climbed on top of his shoulders and nuzzled against his bald head to keep him warm  in place of said hat. 

Patsy begrudgingly needed to let her hair down for the thing to fit properly, but she had to admit it did the job. 

She caught her reflection in the window of a nearby shop and thought a completely different person was looking back at her. 

Patsy managed to weave through the crowds of shoppers, making her way towards more and more isolated alleyways and side streets until she was back on the quiet dirt path that led back to the castle. 

She trudged along, huffing slightly from the weight of the box she was carrying, hoping that Delia would be pleased with  it’s contents once she got back from visiting her family. 

The active sounds of the town behind her were fading, and the earth felt quiet around her, the snow muffling the sounds of everything but the crunch of snow under her feet as she walked on. She knew some of her friends were back in the castle, Trixie and Valerie, but the quiet  had made her miss  Delia, and she looked up towards the dark sky, wondering if is was snowing in Pembrokeshire, too. 

The sound of snow crunching under another pair of footsteps broke Patsy of her thoughts as she realized someone was approaching. She had half a mind to draw her wand, just in case, but she stood still as the figure emerged from the trees on the path heading from the castle. 

‘Patsy? Is that you?’ 

Patsy's heart leapt on her throat, recognizing the voice at once. 

‘Delia!’ 

Patsy was stunned into silence as she watched Delia come forward, wearing a long knitted stocking cap and thick coat to keep her warm. Delia smiled wide, showing off those dimples that made Patsy feel light in the chest. 

‘Is that really you, Pats?’ Delia asked, her eyes narrowing as she gave Patsy's attire a once over. 

Patsy was so happy, she had forgotten she was even wearing anything out of the ordinary for her. 

‘Why wouldn’t it be me?’ 

‘You’ve never, I mean,' Delia  stuttered , looking quite shocked, but happy, 'I’ve never seen you look quite like this. You’re wearing jeans!’

‘Oh no, is it terrible?' Patsy asked with a grimace, suddenly very self conscious, 'It was Trixie's idea. Merlin, I’ll never listen to her again!’ 

‘No, Patsy!’ Delia laughed, ‘You look amazing.’ 

‘I do?’ 

‘Yes!' Delia said, giving a laugh, 'I mean, you always look amazing, but look at you now. Your hair,’ she said mystified, as she had never seen Patsy with her hair down. 

Delia reached out to touch the thick locks of ginger hair that rested on Patsy’s shoulders, and Patsy suddenly didn’t feel chilly anymore. 

‘And your trousers,’ Delia went on, sounding rather shocked. 

‘Oh, I… I was practicing wearing them.’

‘Why?’ 

‘Because, well…' 

Patsy trailed off. What would she even say? That she was trying to impress her? Well by the looks of it, it did the trick, but then she realized something. 

'Hey, wait a moment, you… what are you doing here? I thought you would be in Pembrokeshire by now? Is everything alright?' 

Delia sighed, signaling to Patsy that she had just had a very long, tiresome day. 

‘Mam  _ tried _ to send me an owl,’ she replied. 

Patsy raised a confused eyebrow. 

‘News got to me quite late that she and Da would be holidaying somewhere warm this Christmas. When I finally got the letter, it said they’re empty nesters now and don’t see the need to make a fuss for Christmas anymore until my brothers and I give them some grandbabies.’ 

‘Ah,’ Patsy replied. She couldn't help but blush at the thought of Delia with children. 

‘No sooner did I cross the border did I receive the news. I hopped off the train at the next stop and got on one headed back to Hogwarts. Now here I am.'

'Oh, Delia you must be exhausted!' Patsy chided, 'Why didn't you stay at an inn somewhere?' 

'I didn't want to Pats,' Delia replied, looking rather shy. 

'Whyever not?' 

'Because I wanted to be  _ here _ , silly! Not alone on Christmas Eve when I could he here... with you,’ she added quietly, unable to look Patsy in the eye. 

'You… came back for  _ me _ ?' 

Delia nodded. 

'First thing I did when I got back to the castle was head towards the dungeons to find you,' Delia went on shyly, fiddling with her mittened hands, 'Thought you would like to have supper together, but Elizabeth said you had headed into town. She said you were off buying me a gift, and it made me realize I stupidly forgot to get you something.’ 

Patsy tutted, ‘Oh, Delia, you don’t-,’

‘No, you’ve gotten me something and I want to get you something too.'

‘Delia you don’t understand,’ Patsy sighed, closing her eyes thinking if she didn't then she would be rendered speechless at the sight of the woman adorably pouting. 

'What don't I understand ? ' Delia asked, her hands now on her hips. 

'There’s nothing down there in that village you could possibly buy me that would be any better than the gift I just got.’ 

Delia looked to the box in Patsy's hands confused. 

‘No, not this,  _ you _ ,' Patsy clarified, 'You just being here is… all I wanted. It’s all I ever want, Delia.’ 

Delia merely looked back at Patsy silently, only for a moment, but it was a frighteningly long moment for Patsy. 

‘Really?’ she finally asked. 

Patsy shyly nodded, unable to meet Delia's eyes. She was sure her ears were bright red. 

‘Still, you didn’t have to get me-,'

‘Oh, none of that,’ Patsy remarked, cutting Delia off, ‘It hardly seems fair you’re always the one making me treats and helping me stock my supply cupboard for my classes when I’ve never given you anything in return, so here,’ she finished, holding the box out for Delia to take. 

'I can't take it yet, it's not officially Christmas,' Delia teased, giving a smirk. 

'Oh, it's as good as!' Patsy huffed.

She shoved the box out a little further to emphasize her statement. 

Delia took the box in her hands and peered inside. She looked back up at Patsy curiously. 

‘Um, what is it?’ 

‘Flours.’ 

Delia looked from the contents of the box to Patsy with a confused eyebrow raised. It made Patsy nervous that she had possibly made a huge mistake in taking Valerie's advice in getting Delia flours like she suggested, but she pressed on. 

‘That one there is oat flour, this one is for pastries, this one is bread flour and that last one is for cakes.'

This information did not seem to satiate Delia’s confusion. 

‘Um, I was told that when Muggles like one another, they exchange flours. With you being muggle born I thought you might appreciate… well…,'

Delia’s eyes remained wide, though Patsy caught the slight hint of her lips twitching into a smile as her cheeks tinted pink. 

‘You're giving me flours?’ Delia asked quietly, 'Because you like me?' 

Patsy nodded, blushing fiercely. She nearly panicked when she noticed Delia’s eyes become glassy with tears, her mittened hand coming up to cover her mouth. 

‘Oh, no, I’ve made a terrible mistake, haven’t I?’ Patsy fretted, her chest filling with anxiety, ‘I’m so sorry Delia I can take them back-,’ 

‘No, Patsy,’ Delia whispered, dropping her hand and revealing a smile, ‘this is the absolute sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.’ 

‘So you like it?’ 

‘I love it,' Delia replied, giving Patsy a rather teary smile. 

‘Oh, well good, because Delia, I love-,’ 

Patsy was unable to get the rest of her sentence out. 

The box of flours dropped to the ground and in the next instant, Delia’s arms were around Patsy's shoulders, and Patsy nearly fell backwards from the force. Delia closed the space between them, pressing her mouth firmly against Patsy’s in a frantic kiss that took their breath away. 

Patsy wrapped her arms around Delia, holding the smaller woman against her as they kissed, using all her might to stay standing even though her knees felt weak. 

Delia pulled away, her eyes barely open as she licked her lips, looking as if she were struggling to find the words. 

‘I’ve been wanting to do that since I first met you,' Delia breathed. 

She moved to place light, sweet kisses along Patsy's jawline and neck, leaving Patsy struggling to stutter out a response. 

‘D-does this mean you like me too?’ 

Patsy could feel Delia smile against her, and she sighed as more kisses were trailed along her neck. It seemed Delia was eager to kiss any and all exposed skin Patsy had available in her winter garb. 

‘No,' Delia replied, placing another kiss against Patsy's lips, 'I’m in love with you, you fool.’ 

Patsy closed her eyes and smiled, her whole body feeling light as if she were floating. She moved her arm to wrap around Delia's shoulders, cradling her head in the crook of her elbow as Delia reached up to cup her face with her mittened hand. Patsy lowered her lips to Delia ’ s and kissed her, deep and slow. 

'I love you too,' she whispered, kissing the dimples that appeared on Delia's face, 'I love you too.'

Another kiss. Then another. The two took their time to acquaint themselves so intimately until soon it seemed like second nature to kiss the other so lovingly. 

'I’m so happy you came back,' Patsy whispered, kissing away the happy tears that threatened to spill from Delia's eyes.

'Me too,' Delia sighed, smiling wide as she wrapped her arms tighter around Patsy's waist, 'I was really dreading spending Christmas without you.' 

'Just promise me you won't go on any long trips again without me,' Patsy replied. 

'I was only gone one day!' Delia laughed. 

'Too long,' Patsy said, 'much too long.'

The two held each other tight as the snow continued to fall around them, neither really wanting to part. 

The chill in the air and their grumbling tummies made them part , thinking they could continue such activities from the cozy warmth of their chambers. Patsy picked up the box of flours, and the two walked back to the castle together hand in hand.

They briefly parted as Patsy returned to her chambers to retrieve a bottle of her special knotgrass mead she had brewed at the beginning of term. After months of fermenting, it was now ready to drink and she was happy to know that she and Delia would be the ones to enjoy the first taste of it. 

Delia had told Patsy just which wooden barrel to tap with her wand outside the Hufflepuff common rooms to open the special entrance to her chambers. Once she had found herself inside, it looked to be as every but as Patsy had imagined Delia's room to look. The colors were warm; honey golden and red drapes hung from the ceilings, clocks and flowers and other plants adorned the walls, beaded strands of jewels and other intricate ornaments hung from the ceiling and glistened from the glow of the fire crackling in the hearth. The room was wonderfully cozy, so much that Patsy finally felt warm enough to remove her hat and coat. 

'I see you made it in unscathed,' came Delia's voice. 

Patsy turned on her heel to see Delia approaching her from her bedchambers. She was looking quite comfortable in an oversized jumper with jeans and slippers, and rosy cheeked with wet hair, looking as if she had just taken the quickest bath ever. 

' _ Tergeo _ ,' Delia said, snapping her fingers. In an instant her long hair was dry and resting pleasantly over her shoulders, and she was giving Patsy a look that had her feeling lightheaded. 

'What would have happened if I had knocked on the wrong barrel?' Patsy asked. 

'Well if you had, you'd still be standing at the entrance covered in vinegar.'

'Certainly glad I'm good at following directions then,' Patsy replied, finding herself full of nerves and frozen stiff as Delia came closer. 

Delia grinned, 'So if I directed you to kiss me right now, would you?' 

Patsy let out a nervous laugh, taking a step back. 

'Directions and orders are not the same thing,' she replied, noting that Delia was following her with a sly smirk. 

'Fine then, I'm  _ ordering  _ you to direct a kiss to my lips now,' Delia commanded, pushing a playful finger against Patsy's chest. 

'Are you this officious with your students?' Patsy replied, rather bemused. She was seeing a side of Delia she had no idea existed, and quite frankly she kind of liked it. 

'Nope. Just with you. Pucker up.'

Patsy's rear end pressed against something that had her toppling backwards. In an effort to stay upright she had reached out and grasped onto Delia, but the smaller woman looked like this was what she had planned all along. 

Patsy fell backwards and Delia held onto her, bracing for impact as they both landed onto a large comfortable sofa that sat in front of the fire. It was so fluffy that Patsy felt like she was laying on a cloud with Delia in her arms. After the initial shock of it l, she found her predicament quite pleasant

The two shared a laugh, and Patsy placed her bottle down on the ground, not realizing she had held onto it with an iron grip. 

She thought that she could get comfortable here, Delia laying on top of her and looking lovingly into her pretty blue eyes, until she closed them and leaned down for a kiss, something which Patsy thought she would enjoy much more. 

Unfortunately before their lips could touch, there was the unmistakable sound of someone coughing to get their attention.

'Ahem, Professor Busby,' came a nervous voice. 

Patsy opened her eyes to see Delia looking uncharacteristically perturbed. 

'Oh please not  _ now _ , Bridget,' she said through gritted teeth. 

'I know, I know,' Bridget went on, 'I realize you may not want to be disturbed right at this, erm, moment, but this is a rather pressing matter. Quite literally pressing, actually,'

Delia sat up and looked over at the portrait of Bridget Wenlock, notable thirteenth century Hufflepuff who was one of the most skilled witches in Arithmancy to have ever lived. 

'Can't you see I have a guest?' Delia asked, raking her fingers through her hair. 

'B-but professor Busby, you have  _ more  _ guests wanting to enter. They're right behind me trying to push their way in!’ Bridget remarked rather urgently. 

'Who? Who on Earth is even still here? Certainly not a student,’ Delia remarked. 

'No, a few professors actually, Professor Gilbert being one of them,’ Bridget replied, ‘The other two are from other houses.' 

'Delia? Are you there?' came a muffled voice from behind the portrait that was unmistakably Barbara's. 

'Yoo hoo!' came Trixie's voice, Bridget holding onto her hat as the woman behind her aggressively knocked, 'Delia, sweetie, we've come to collect you for supper!' 

'Oi let us in! Is Patsy on there? I know she's got her mead ready to drink. Been looking forward to that all winter.'

'You two aren't helping!' Barbara snapped.

Delia rolled her eyes and untangled herself from Patsy, helping the taller woman to her feet.

'We could just tell them to bugger off,' Patsy said. 

'Pats, it's Christmas…'

Patsy gave a defeated sigh, and Delia waved her hand. The portrait swung open to reveal Barbara, Trixie, and Valerie, the non Hufflepuffs looking around curiously as Barbara stepped through the portrait. 

'Ah so you two are here. Thought I saw you coming through the common room, Delia. Everything alright?'

'Yeah, we thought you'd be home by... Valerie trailed off, giving Patsy a look, 'Good god woman, what in Merlin's name are you wearing?!'

'Val, these are blue jeans,’ Patsy replied, placing her hands on her hips, ‘We discussed this!' 

'Oh!' Valerie said, looking from Patsy to Delia to Patsy again, 'Right, Jean, the trouser, not the person. Got it.'

Delia looked at Patsy with an eyebrow raised. 

'Ignore her.'

'I was worried about you too Patsy,' Trixie remarked, looking as if she were disappointed the attention was not on her at the moment, 'I popped by your chambers and Elizabeth said she hadn't seen you all evening. Naturally I grew worried.’

'Trixie I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself,' Patsy replied, crossing her arms over her chest. 

'Oh I know, but Valerie said you had mead,' Trixie added, batting her eyelashes innocently. 

'Do either of you care for me for more than my brewing abilities?!' 

'Well I'm fine, thanks for caring Barbara,’ Delia remarked ignoring the others and addressing her friend, ‘News just got to me late that my parents were going on holiday instead of hosting Christmas, so I came back.'

'Oh! Well thank goodness for that!’ Barbara replied, giving a sigh of relief, ‘We were all going to head to the Great Hall for supper of you two would like to join us.'

'Ooh, we should have supper here! Just the five of us,' Trixie interjected, looking about Delia's room excitedly. 

'Really?' Valerie asked, 'Why?' 

'Of course! It's so cute and cozy in here!' Trixie remarked, looking around as she shed her frilly pink cloak, 'besides, if we are to enjoy Patsy's mead we certainly shouldn't be drinking it in the great hall.'

'Ooh good idea. Probably not the best to be drinking in front of any of the remaining students,' Valerie nodded. 

Trixie waved her wand to enchant the papers and other clutter on Delia's desk to stack themselves neatly and tuck themselves away in the drawers of a nearby desk, her books to fly back on their shelves and for a hodgepodge of chairs and stools to settle in from all corners of the room to the table. 

Barbara added her own flair by igniting a fresh fire in the hearth and manipulating the multitude of flowers and vines and decorative clay pots to create an impromptu Christmas tree that was festively decorated with yellow and orange leaves, red and white berries, and pinecones. She flicked her wand again and reams of garland appeared above the fireplace and along the windowsills, tied together with red and silver bows.

Valerie of course, found Patsy's bottle of mead and pulled the cork out of it using her teeth.

'Sure, just make yourself at home everyone,' Delia sighed, clearly too tired to put up a fight. 

Patsy gave the smaller woman a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder and that seemed to make her feel a little better. 

Several plates of food appeared on the table, along with silverware and glasses and tiers of little hor d'oeuvres and biscuits and other sweets decorated in red and green frostings and other colours. 

'Shall we?' Trixie asked, casting one last charm to turn on a record player in the corner, filling the room with festive music. 

The group of friends spent the next several hours in the cozy room, enjoying their delicious Christmas meal and thoroughly enjoying Patsy's homemade mead, so much that Patsy was glad she had enchanted this small bottle to actually hold several liters of the stuff, anything less and they would have run dry much too early in the evening. 

Full of food and happily satiated with mead, the women were content to sit and chat and drink more, moving from the table to the oversized comfortable sofas that sat in front of the fireplace. Shoes had been kicked off and buttons on trousers undone to allow for ultimate comfort. Despite having been rather interrupted earlier, Patsy was quite content snuggling up on the sofa close to Delia with her friends around. 

At some late hour in the evening, Patsy found herself around the table of empty plates, using her wand to help tidy and clean as she could never go long seeing such clutter left to sit idle. She was so engrossed in her task that she nearly gasped with shock when Valerie walked over and nudged her gently with her elbow. 

'So didya get Delia anything for Christmas?' Valerie whispered, looking over to a satiated Delia who looked about to doze off if Trixie wasn’t chatting so animatedly about something or other. 

'Of course I did. I got her just what you suggested.’ 

Patsy flicked her wans and muttered ‘ _ accio _ ’, and Delia’s gift flew from a nearby shelf to her lap in an instant. 

Valerie looked into the box for several long moments, her face contorting into someone who looked completely confused. 

'What in the hell is that?' she finally asked. 

'They're flours, just like you said I should get.' 

Valerie narrowed her eyes and stared at the contents of the box for several seconds before all seemed to click in her head. 

'You twit! I said flowers!'

'That's what these are! Flours!' Patsy yelled back, thoroughly confused as to why Valerie was so bloody upset. 

'Patsy,' Valerie said, reaching up and pulling down a dangling vine with pink and white blossoms at the end of it, 'these kinds of flowers! Little posey's and roses and the like, not baking flour!'

'What?!' Patsy cried, finding the idea preposterous, 'What on the bloody hell is she going to do with  _ more  _ flowers Valerie, she's a bloody botanist for Merlin's sake, she could grow roses herself if she wanted, much better than whatever I could bloody buy her from a shop.'

'Will you two shut up and be nice to one another for once?' Trixie interjected from her spot on the sofa, 'It’s Christmas after all. Good tidings and all that.'

'It’s not Christmas yet!' Valerie said, turning back to Patsy and opening her mouth, pointing a finger in the air as if she were about to give a passionate retort to her earlier statement. 

'Well, actually…,' Barbara interjected. 

A silence fell over the room as the musical chiming from a clock on the wall could he heard striking midnight. 

'Oh!' Delia said, her hands over her mouth and her eyes shining with excitement, 'It’s Christmas! It's officially Christmas!'

Trixie raised her glass and led everyone in a round of ‘cheers’, but this was ignored by Patsy and Delia, the smaller woman suddenly too excited to pay any attention to anything but Patsy. 

She bounded over to the redhead and jumped into her arms, encircling her in a tight hug that almost knocked Patsy off her feet for the second time that night. 

'Merry Christmas, cariad,' Delia breathed into her ear. 

'Merry Christmas, darling,' Patsy replied. 

Patsy held her tight and couldn't help but smile, not caring that her friends were there to see. She was the happiest she had felt in a long time, thinking that perhaps this was her best Christmas ever.

Patsy blinked when she felt a cool drop of something land on her cheek, and then again on her nose. 

Delia seemed to sense something too, and they pulled away slightly from one another, looking up to see that enchanted little bits of snow were silently falling around them. 

A little further above their heads was another plant that seemed to manifest itself right above their heads, the familiar green bunch of pointy leaves and red berries tied together with a gold ribbon settled beautifully and spun slowly above them. 

'Is that mistletoe?' Barbara gasped. 

'Oh, you bet it is!' Valerie said excitedly, 'That means you  _ have  _ to kiss. Those are the rules!'

'Leave the refereeing on the quidditch pitch, Val!' Trixie replied, swatting the woman on the arm.

'I thought that only happens when you really fancy someone,' Barbara said mystified. 

Everyone looked at Barbara while Barbara looked at her shoes for a moment silently, and then she gasped when it clicked. 

'Oh my gosh!' she breathed, 'You two? Really?!'

'Why the tone of surprise?' Patsy remarked. 

'Shh, don't mind her. Do what Valerie says and follow the rules,' Delia interjected, taking her finger against Patsy's chin, gently turning her to look her way. 

'What did we talk about earlier regarding directions and orders?' 

'Snog her Patsy, do it!' Valerie shouted as Trixie shushed her to be quiet. 

'Alright fine, follow her orders,' Delia shrugged. 

'Fine but only because-,’ 

'It’s Christmas, yes I know.’

Patsy smiled and pulled Delia close to her close, leaning down as Delia gently cupped her face with her hand. The two kissed sweetly as if this was how it was always meant to be. 

'Something tells me that wasn't their first kiss,' Barbara quipped. 

Delia pulled away laughing. 

'How could I have resisted when she brought me a box of the most beautiful flours I had ever seen?'

Patsy petulantly stuck her tongue out at Valerie, who returned a rude two fingered gesture to her friend in response. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This little story was really fun to write, and I hope you liked it! 
> 
> Leaving a comment might motivate me to write a smutty epilogue if anyone is interested, just sayin 😘


	6. Chapter 6 (NSFW)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some Valentines Day fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [JoJo in the Shadows](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jojo_In_The_Shadows/pseuds/Jojo_In_The_Shadows) for being an amazing beta for this fic! Her work was very much appreciated and I hope her cleaning up my gobbledegook made for a better reading experience for you. She's a wonderful author herself so you should click on her name and go read her fics! 
> 
> Sidenote: I've come to find that having someone review and edit my smut makes me feel very vulnerable!

It was early afternoon, and Patsy was walking around her classroom reviewing the contents of her students cauldrons, the students having been instructed to make Pepperup Potion. The concoction was designed to improve one's health and relieve cough and congestion. This seemed to Patsy a perfect potion for the students to practice, given the time of year. She’d had to send more than one student to Madame Evangelina in the hospital wing just that day.

But as Valentines day loomed, she knew someone or other would be deviating from the lesson and concocting illegal love potions. 

She kept a close eye on the group of fourth year girls, all friends from mixed houses, hovering over their desks and whispering to one another. Her suspicions were confirmed when a bubbly little heart floated up in the air and drifted towards her.

Patsy took her wand and stabbed it, the heart disappearing from sight with a _pop!_

‘Absolutely _no_ love potions!’ Patsy addressed the entire class. 

She waved her wand and the cauldron on the girls table floated over to the giant sink on the other side of the room, tilting over and completely emptying the contents. The girls turned red in the face and looked down at their shoes, clearly ashamed. 

‘We do not win the affections of others by taking agency away from them, understand?’ 

The students looked to one another, and a Ravenclaw girl shyly raised her hand. 

‘Um, does that mean we shouldn’t force someone to do something they may not want to?’ 

‘Correct. Love potions are deceptive and cowardly. If you want someone under your complete control you may as well cast the Imperius curse on them.’ 

Several students gasped at the mention of the Unforgivable Curse. Patsy looked at the fear in their eyes and was glad to know she had gotten her point across. 

‘I’m forced to do things I don’t want all the time,’ mumbled a nearby Slytherin boy. 

‘Homework and lessons are a completely different matter,’ Patsy quipped, ‘speaking of, let me see your progress.’ 

* * *

Patsy sat in her chambers late that very evening, surrounded by a multitude of essays that needed marking. Her OWL and NEWT students made up the bulk of the work, but as the hour grew late, her focus waned. 

Leaning over her desk with her chin in her hand, the candle that floated next to her dribbled hot wax that slowly fell down the side. 

She was staring at her wall of glass bottles full of herbs and other ingredients she needed for her potions. Her mind however, was elsewhere. Specifically on the Herbology professor, Delia Busby. 

Since their confession on Christmas Eve, their relationship had been nothing short of perfect. Delia seemed happy. Patsy was certainly happy. They were infatuated with one another. Despite their work, they made sure to make time for one another. Many evenings had been spent together, either in Delia’s chambers or Patsy’s, sharing meals, wrapped up in each others arms as they just talked or read books together, just enjoying one another's company. 

They certainly loved one another, not only as friends, but in the romantic sense, too, no doubt of that. 

As the weeks passed, Patsy began to wonder if they were ready to take their relationship to a more intimate level. 

Patsy’s mind flashed back to a conversation she’d had on the matter just that week with her friend in the Dining Hall. 

‘Sex?’ Valerie asked unabashedly. ‘You two haven’t had sex yet?’ 

_‘Shh_!’ Patsy waved her hands frantically at the flight instructor, looking around to make sure no one was within earshot.

‘Blimey, Pats, what are you two waiting for?’ Valerie asked, taking a swig of her drink. 

‘Merlin's beard, Val,’ Patsy hissed, feeling herself grow red in the face, ‘it’s a wonder I ever tell you anything!’ 

Patsy slouched in her chair at the professors table as Valerie snorted. 

‘Why are you so embarrassed? I’m shocked you two haven’t done anything yet, we can all see the way you look at each other since Christmas?’

 _‘We all_ ? Who is _we all_?’ Patsy asked, sitting up straight in her chair once more. 

‘I believe she is referring to all of _us_ , sweetie.’ 

Patsy frantically whirled around to find Trixie standing behind her, leaning casually on the back of her chair. 

Lucille was also there, taking a seat next to Valerie and giving an affirmative nod. 

‘Mmhmm, she’s right,’ Lucille added.

‘Hmm? What are we talking about?’ 

Patsy whirled around once more to see Barbara standing on the other side of the table looking as oblivious and adorable as ever, blinking rapidly with a kind smile on her face. 

‘Why not try to do something really romantic for her on Valentines day, hmm?’ Trixie said, ignoring Barbara's question

‘Hey, maybe I can show you mine and Lucille's spot up in the astronomy tower,’ Valerie interjected, ‘Believe me, it’s quiet and private and I bet you’ll have each other seeing stars in more ways than one, hmm?’

Valerie wiggled her eyebrows even as Lucille smacked her hard on the arm. 

‘What do you think you’re doing, offering up _our spot_ like that?!’

‘What, I’m just trying to help our friend here!’

Patsy blinked in shock.

‘First, Lucille, believe me, I have absolutely no interest in your spot,’ she began. 

‘Good, because it’s _ours_ ,’ Lucille said, narrowing her eyes and pointing a threatening finger to the others around the table, as if warning them to not to even try finding their cherished spot.

‘Second, since when have you two been together!?’ Patsy asked, looking thoroughly confused. 

‘Ah, now she notices,’ Valerie said, crossing her arms and mocking offence. 

‘You’re not the only one to find romance over the christmas holidays,’ Lucille said, taking Valerie's goblet in her hand between thumb and forefinger, giving the aforementioned woman a saucy glance, ‘might have you to thank, really. When she saw you and Delia get together she finally stopped her dithering with her feelings for me and came clean.’ 

‘Didn’t you wonder where they had gotten off to during the new year celebrations?’ Barbara asked as Lucille took a swig of Valerie's drink. 

The others nodded and mumbled their agreement. 

‘Gosh, have I really not noticed?’ Patsy asked, an eyebrow raised. 

‘You have been rather preoccupied with Delia as of late,’ Barbara remarked. 

‘Maybe if you had some sex every once in a while you wouldn’t always have your head up in the clouds,’ Valerie added. 

The comment caught Patsy off guard so much that the wine in her goblet turned into birds. 

‘Aah!’ Patsy screamed and dropped her goblet as the creatures fluttered away into the great hall, flapping their wings hurriedly and noisily as they took off. Several students turned towards the professors table to look oddly at the group of women sitting there. 

Patsy remained silent with her head in her hands as Valerie laughed so hard beside her she sounded as if she were at risk of asphyxiating. Never in her life did Patsy ever wish she could apparate away from a conversation as much as she did right now. 

‘Alright, can we just acknowledge that _that_ was rather impressive?’ Trixie stated, thoroughly amused, ‘I have half a mind to call over Professor Crane right now to boast about your skills, Patsy!’ 

Patsy slowly opened one eye and peaked between her fingers to see one remaining bird hopping about the table, chirping happily as it pecked at a leftover pistachio shell. 

‘I’m still not quite sure what we’re talking about?’ Barbara remarked, looking to the others for clarification. 

‘Sweetie, do you remember what you and I got up to in the Room Of Requirement every so often when we were students here?’ 

Three sets of wide eyes turned from Trixie to Barbara, who turned red in the face, but gave a nod of understanding. 

‘Not sure why we’re bringing that up, but,’ Barbara replied, laughing nervously as she rubbed the back of her neck. 

‘We’re merely encouraging Patsy to do the same with Delia.’ 

‘To borrow the Room Of Requirement for _that_?’ Barbara asked quietly, her ears turning a bright pink. 

‘No, absolutely not,’ Patsy remarked sternly, shaking her head, ‘I do not need to utilize a random room in the castle to turn into some kind of sex dungeon.’ 

‘Funny you think it would turn into _that_ ,’ Trixie grinned. 

‘Don’t you already live in a dungeon?’ Valerie chimed in. 

‘So?’

‘Well the mere act of copulating would turn it into a sex dungeon automatically, wouldn’t it?’ 

‘Well if you want to get into semantics, yes,’ Trixie mused with a shrug. 

‘I’m leaving,’ Patsy said, abruptly standing, her chair scraping noisily against the hardwood. 

Patsy grasped her skirt in her hands and stomped off towards the back exit, determined to head back to her chambers and stay there the rest of the night. 

‘Patsy, wait!’ 

Patsy paused, but only because it was Barbara calling after her, the Hufflepuff head of house trotting after her before she got too far. 

‘Listen,’ Barbara breathed, ‘don’t pay any attention to them, they… they don’t know Delia like you and I do.’ 

Patsy relaxed at this, taking a breath and turning towards Barbara. 

‘It’s not any of our business how you and Delia conduct your relationship, but..’ 

Barbara trailed off with a shrug, and Patsy remained silent as she continued. 

‘It’s just Delia. She’s _so_ in love with you, Patsy,’ 

The remark made Patsy’s heart swell with affection, and the thought made her even crack a smile. 

‘Whatever it is that’s going on up in that head of yours, whatever is worrying you, just _talk_ to her about it.’ 

‘I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Barbara, but I’m severely lacking in that particular skill.’ 

‘Patsy, just… try. I think she would really appreciate it if you opened up to her about whatever it is that’s… troubling you.’ 

Patsy took a deep breath before giving a nod. 

‘I will.’ 

She turned to leave, but before she could get very far, Patsy turned back to Barbara. 

‘So… you and Trixie?’ 

Barabra shrugged bashfully, tucking a lock of her brunette hair behind her ear. 

‘Ages ago. We were… just having a bit of fun.’ 

Barbara turned and walked away, leaving Patsy wondering what kind of fun she may have missed out on during her years here as a student. 

* * *

Back in her chambers, Patsy blinked, coming back to the present as a drop of hot wax from her floating candle dripped onto her hand. 

‘Ah!’ she hissed, shaking her hand. 

She wiped her hand off as she blushed, thinking back on that conversation with the other professors, her friends. 

Surely at the very least, if she and Delia were able to move on in their relationship, Patsy could stop fretting over it and become a better friend, giving more attention to the others and all the important things going on in their lives. 

But how was she to do that when the very thought of… _progressing_ … in that manner made her a jumble of nerves, incapable of stringing together a single sentence? Surely if she were to accomplish something in that regard she would at the very least need to _talk_ to Delia about how she was feeling, something she was admittedly not very good at. 

Patsy tapped her fingers on her table worriedly, wondering what she could do to help in that matter. What she could concoct…

She stopped, her eyes growing wide. 

Patsy scanned the shelves in front of her, racking her brain for what she’d need to put together to make a potion. Something that would calm her down and have her eloquently state how she was feeling about… well, everything. 

‘Wait, no, that’s not right,’ Patsy mumbled to herself, thinking of the speech she gave her students earlier concerning love potions. ‘I shouldn’t be putting together any kind of potion that forces me to act a certain way…’ 

Then again, this wasn’t a love potion, per se. She didn’t want to create a veritaserum either, something that would make her blurt out the truth against her will. 

No, what she had in mind was something different. She was already in love with Delia, and she just needed a little something or other to help… _encourage_ her to move in the right direction. 

Patsy stood from her desk and walked over to her bookshelf, running her finger along the rows of dusty old spines until she came across the one she needed. She snapped her fingers to light all the candles in her room, walking over to her cauldron, and got to work. 

* * *

It was officially Valentines day. 

Patsy was bundled up in her muggle clothes. Delia liked it when she wore them; hat, scarf, coat, jeans, and boots. It suited her well, she thought, especially to guard against the cold as she hiked through the forest along the Black Lake. 

She was thankful that this day fell on a Saturday, a day when she was free from her teaching obligations. Many of the older students had chosen to spend the day in Hogsmeade, the younger students staying behind in the castle to cheer on the Gryffindor v. Ravenclaw game that was about to start. 

Naturally, with Patsy and Delia being Slytherin and Hufflepuff respectively, they saw no need to attend the game. 

Instead, on that cool, snowy afternoon, the two professors chose to have a picnic in the woods. Despite the weather, the two of them were eager for some solitude out in nature. 

‘I think this’ll do,’ Delia remarked, referring to a flat bit of ground that was surrounded by trees, and yet overlooked the Black Lake, gleaming beautifully against the grey sky. It was a magnificent sight, especially with the snow falling around them, creating quite the romantic atmosphere. 

Together, the two of them laid out a woolen blanket. Delia kneeled down to lay out a spread of delicious finger foods, sandwiches and other treats, while Patsy found some dry wood and cast a flame with her wand. 

The two women snuggled in close and enjoyed the warmth of the fire as Delia handed Patsy half a sandwich to enjoy. 

‘Did you bring the tea?’ Delia asked just as Patsy finished the last of her sandwich. 

Patsy felt her heart jump in her throat, her mouth suddenly dry and she felt like tea would be a good idea right about now. 

The potion she had devised for herself a few days prior was sitting in a glass phial in her breast pocket. She recalled with a blush the effects of the potion as it brewed. Once all the ingredients were added, it produced a lovely smell that made her think of pleasant things that made her heart pound in her chest. Things that made her happy, things that she wanted to share with Delia. 

As she brewed, just like a chef trying out a new recipe, she tasted her concoction and wrote down her reactions and observations in her journal

The end result was that one drop of potion in her tea had her wanting nothing more than to be close to Delia. Two drops, and she felt like she was overheating, needing to unbutton her blouse halfway down her torso and fan herself as she considered just foregoing any further experimentation for the evening and seeking out Delia instead, feeling like only her hands could alleviate the pressures building up in her body. It took all her willpower to stay put and not ruin her plans. Three drops in her tea and, well, she needed to beg Elizabeth to spend the night in a portrait in Trixie’s room while she sought her own end, though not able to entirely satisfy herself, and she reckoned the potion would have worn off a lot faster if Delia had been the one to assist in that regard. 

Patsy searched through her rucksack for the thermos and two cups, pausing slightly as she considered adding a drop of her newfound potion into her own cup. 

‘Everything alright, cariad?’ 

Patsy jumped at the sound of Delia’s pet name for her, turning back to Delia who watched her, concerned.

‘What’s on your mind sweetheart?’ 

Despite the cold, Patsy could feel herself perspiring under Delia’s curious gaze. 

‘Deels, darling…,’ she started, unsure what she was going to say. 

‘I like it when you call me darling,’ Delia smiled, leaning forward slightly. 

Patsy smiled shyly in return. 

‘Something troubling you, Pats?’ 

Patsy sighed, remembering Barbara's words of wisdom; just talk to her. 

‘No… but yes?’ Patsy said, sounding very unsure, ‘It’s a rather sensitive subject.’ 

‘That’s alright,’ Delia shrugged, ‘If it’s something you need to talk about, I’ll listen.’ 

‘It’s about… us,’ Patsy said slowly, looking to Delia to gauge her reaction. 

‘Oh?’ 

‘Something I… want to do. With you!’ 

‘With me?’ 

‘Yes, like, as a couple,’ Patsy brought her hands together and interlocked her fingers, ‘A couples activity.’ 

Delia narrowed her eyes and brought a finger to her lips, contemplating. 

‘Are we not doing one of those right now?’ 

Patsy sighed despondently, her head hanging low. For a moment she thought she should forego this plan and just enjoy being on a picnic outdoors with Delia on this Valentine’s day. 

‘Or are you talking about a different sort of couples activity?’

Patsy looked up to see Delia sitting crossed legged, her chin in her hand as she rested her elbow on her knee. She had a mischievous smirk on her face and a wiggle in her eyebrow. 

‘You’re teasing me,’ Patsy said. 

‘Perhaps a little,’ Delia’s smirk broke out into a full blown toothy grin that had her dimples pop.

Patsy covered her eyes with her hands as she felt a hot blush crawl up her neck and cheeks. 

‘You know what I’m talking about, yes? Please don’t make me explain it any further…’

‘Barbara may have had a little chat with me earlier today.’ 

‘Oh dear,’ Patsy replied, looking anywhere but at Delia as she fiddled with the thermos in her hands. 

Delia reached over and took the thermos from Patsy. 

‘Better hand over that tea, we don’t want it turning into birds.’ 

‘Eurghhhh,’ Patsy groaned, laying down on the blanket and throwing her arm over her eyes to hide her embarrassment.

Delia giggled and rested half on top of the taller woman, kissing her sweetly on the cheek. 

‘Patsy, I don’t understand why you’re making all this fuss. You like me don’t you?’ 

‘Of course I do.’ 

‘You want to be with me in _that_ way, too, right?’ 

‘It’s not that. I mean, yes, I do, it’s just that I’m terrible with second guessing myself. With just about every move I make. I just want everything to be just right and perfect, and… and…,’

Patsy stopped her blathering at the sound of Delia giggling. 

‘What is it?’ she asked. 

‘It’s just… you’re so calm and reserved and confident in every other aspect of your life, a true Slytherin through and through.’ 

‘Except for this bit,’ Patsy sighed, ‘I just sometimes wish I could do something without overthinking it. I’m terrified of buggering it up somehow.’ 

‘Pats you know that’s not how real life is. We need to make mistakes and learn from them.’ 

‘Well I don’t want to make any mistakes with you.’ 

‘You couldn’t, cariad,’ Delia sighed, lovingly nuzzling her nose against Patsys before giving her a sweet kiss on the lips. It made Patsy feel like she would melt under her, and she could feel her body begin to relax at her touch. 

Delia leaned back slightly, looking where her hand rested. She took a gloved hand and patted Patsy’s chest over her heart. ‘Pats, do you have something in there? Why does it feel hard right here?’ 

Patsy felt her heart jump in her throat. She needed to come clean about the potion, or lie, and she certainly never wanted to lie to Delia. ‘Oh, that, well…’ 

Patsy sat up on her elbows and extracted the phial from her breast pocket of her coat, holding it out between her thumb and forefinger for Delia to see. 

‘What’s that?’

‘It’s… a potion I made the other night. I haven’t thought of a name for it yet.’ 

‘You made it? What’s it for?’ 

‘Well, I made it for myself… something to calm my nerves for when I’m with you. For when I want to be… you know, intimate with you.’ 

‘Is it a love potion?’ Delia asked, eyeing it skeptically. 

‘No! No, I have a strict rule against love potions. Besides, I’m very much in love with you without the aid of anything one can brew up in a cauldron.’ 

‘But it’s similar?’ 

‘Not quite… it’s more for me to get over my nerves. It sort of… enhances my senses…,’ Patsy trailed off, blushing at the thought of what she experienced with merely three drops of this potion. 

‘Can I try it?’ Delia asked, looking at Patsy with wide, curious eyes. 

‘What!?’ 

‘Well it doesn’t seem fair that you get to be the one experiencing all the things, all these enhanced senses,’ she pouted. 

‘But do you really need it?’ 

‘Do _you_ really need it?’ 

Patsy lay there, feeling flustered with her girlfriend essentially nose to nose with her, eyeing her mischievously with a challenge in her expression. ‘Fine! But only one drop. _Each_.’ 

‘Why?’ Delia asked, sitting back on her heels and unscrewing the thermos. 

‘It’s very concentrated, that’s why,’ Patsy replied, blushing as she popped off the cork from the small glass tube, ‘We shouldn’t need more than one drop to… help us calm our nerves.’

Delia took hold of Patsy’s wrist and brought it towards her so that the opening of the phial was directly under her nose. 

Patsy watched Delia’s reaction as the smaller woman took a deep breath, closing her eyes. 

‘Rose petals…’ Delia sighed as she blinked her eyes open, ‘they make me think of your soft lips…’ 

‘Mmh,’ Patsy was pleasantly caught off guard as Delia smiled and leaned forward, closing the gap between them in a soft, yet passionate kiss. 

‘Deels…’ Patsy managed to get out, as the woman pulled at Patsy’s scarf and moved to place kisses along her neck, ‘D-Delia!’ 

‘Hmm? Wha…,’ Delia leaned back and took a deep breath of fresh air, shaking her head slightly and blinking. 

She sat back on her heels and looked at the phial still in Patsy’s hand with wide eyes. 

‘Wow, Patsy, you weren’t kidding,’

‘Yeah, it’s rather strong.’ 

‘Well, you did tell me once you like it strong,’ Delia replied, giving a smirk that made Patsy feel like hot steam might shoot out of her ears. 

‘Now are you still sure you want to…’

Delia wordlessly poured a bit of hot tea into both their mugs and held them out to Patsy. 

Patsy delicately tapped one drop into each of their cups, and together they drank their tea to the very last drop. 

Delia looked into her empty cup as Patsy corked the phial once more and tucked it away into her breast pocket. ‘So how long until we, um, you know, start to feel the results of this?’ 

‘It probably would have hit us right away if we hadn’t eaten anything, but seeing as we’ve just polished off our lunch it may take a little while.’ 

Patsy smiled at Delia’s cute pout and reached out for her. 

‘That doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy our time here together,’ she said, pulling Delia close to her and guiding her to sit between her legs.

Delia giggled as she snuggled in, taking Patsy’s arms and wrapping them around her tight. Patsy nuzzled her nose behind Delia’s ear as they grew comfortable in their position, taking a moment to silently look out onto the beautiful snowy fields through the bare trees and admire the Black Lake against the grey skies. The fire that Patsy had set near their feet crackled quietly and provided them some warmth against the elements. The charm that Patsy had cast earlier to keep the snow off them was still working splendidly, the little flakes of snow evaporating around them to keep them nice and dry. 

‘This is nice,’ Delia murmured quietly, ‘I’m glad I could spend this day with you, Pats.’ 

‘Me too. You know, you’re the first sweetheart I’ve had to spend Valentine's day with.’ 

‘You are too,’ 

‘Really? Not even in school?’ Patsy asked. 

‘I could ask the same of you. Figured you would be a real heartbreaker.’ 

‘Oh no… Other than a few awkward attempts at kissing in the back corridors here and there, I was much too focused on my studies to really think about relationships.’ 

‘Really? Nothing serious?’ 

‘No, you?’ 

‘No. So you’ve never gone farther than kissing someone, hmm?’

‘Is it that obvious?’ 

‘No wonder you’re so nervous,’ Delia giggled. 

‘Oh, so you have?’ 

‘Nope.’ 

‘What th-,’ Patsy sputtered, ‘then why aren’t you a jumbled mess of nerves like me?’ 

Delia shrugged, ‘Just going with the flow, I guess.’ 

Patsy harrumphed, slightly envying the easy going attitude of the typical hufflepuff. 

‘Well are you sure you want to… with me?’ Patsy asked, feeling her nerves bundle up tight in her chest again. She was secretly wondering if the potion was ever going to kick in. 

‘Pats, I wouldn’t be with you if I didn’t,’ Delia replied, ‘in fact, not-love-potion aside, it’s all I’ve been able to think about these past few weeks.’ 

‘Really?’ 

‘Yes, Patsy. Along with being hopelessly in love with you, I’m also ridiculously attracted to you.’ 

Delia took Patsy’s hand and removed her mitten, interlocking their fingers and kissing the back of her knuckles. 

Patsy felt exceptionally better at her words and her loving touches. She suddenly felt all the nerves that had been wound tight in her chest suddenly evaporate, her heart swelling with affection for the woman in her arms, and she couldn’t help but hold onto her tight and nuzzle her nose behind her ear once more. Patsy took a deep breath of Delia’s scent, and it seemed to seep into her system, slowly drawing out her desire for the woman. 

Patsy thought the way she was feeling was remarkably similar to how she felt when she was testing this potion alone in her room, enamoured with Delia, her mind full of thoughts of nothing but Delia and pleasing her. Only now she felt this first drop of potion tenfold as she actually had Delia in her arms this time. It was admittedly so, so much better this way. 

Wordlessly, Patsy loosened Delia’s scarf and pushed it aside. She shook off her remaining mitten to have free use of her fingers as she pulled Delia’s hair to the side and kissed along her neck

‘Oh,’ Delia sighed, her head lulling to the side to allow Patsy to continue kissing her, ‘Oh, Pats, I love when you do that.’

Patsy smiled, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths. She couldn’t get enough of the smell of Delia’s hair and skin all of a sudden, it was like she was growing more enamoured with the woman the more she took in her wonderful scent. She continued to place more kisses along her neck, her hands moving to graze over her coat and down to her hip and thighs. 

‘W-wait,’ Delia managed to eek out, squirming under Patsy’s touch. 

‘Hmm?’ Patsy blinked, pulling away, ‘what is it?’ 

‘Just…’ Delia used the flat of her hand to pat the blanket around them, finally grasping onto her wand. She whispered a disillusionment charm, and Patsy watched as Delia’s arm made a large swooping motion over the two of them to cover their whole camp. If anyone strayed into the area, they would be undetectable. 

‘Good idea,’ Patsy mumbled against Delia’s ear. The smaller woman could only nod as she dropped her wand, and Patsy could feel her once again relax in her arms. 

Unlike the many times they had kissed since Christmas Eve, nothing seemed to bother Patsy in this moment. Not being outside, not the cold, and certainly not her nerves. Before, while cozied up in chairs or oversized sofas in their bedchambers, when their kissing grew to this stage, Patsy’s heart would begin to race, her hands to shake, and she would second guess all her motions actions. Now, all her worries were gone, and she felt more in tune with how Delia was reacting to her touches than ever before. 

Patsy felt herself moving practically on instinct, and the overwhelming desire to simply please Delia. 

She unbuttoned Delia’s coat, continuing to softly kiss along her neck and ear and enjoying all the little gasps and sighs emanating from the woman in her arms. 

‘Is this OK?’ Patsy asked, ‘You’re not cold?’ 

Delia shook her head, ‘Not at all,’ she replied, taking Patsy’s hand and kissing her palm, ‘I just want you to touch me, Pats, please.’ 

Patsy used her right hand to nudge Delia’s legs apart, moving it along to stroke her inner thigh, a motion that had Delia gasping and letting out a little whimper. 

‘Here?’ 

‘Mmh,’ Delia replied with an enthusiastic nod, ‘Pats, I need more, I-,’ 

Delia was gasping, seemingly unable to take in enough air as her whole body arched to reach Patsy’s hands. 

‘What is it, darling?’

Delia took Patsy’s hand and guided it between her legs, and Patsy needed to resist the urge to bite down on the exposed skin of Delia’s neck. 

‘Here,’ Delia sighed, her breath coming out in a long white puff of smoke above her head, ‘I need you here, just…’

Delia squirmed in Pasy’s arms, bringing her hands to her mouth to rip off her mittens. Once her hands were bare, she frantically undid the buttons on her trousers and grasped Patsy by the wrist, shoving her hand into her knickers. 

Patsy’s eyes slammed shut, and she let out a moan the moment her two fingers slipped between the hot, slippery folds of Delia’s most intimate area. 

Delia herself gasped, her hips arching up to meet Patsy’s hand while her own hand had an iron grip around the redheads wrist. 

There was a modicum of awareness in the back of Patsy’s brain that allowed her to recognise that had it not been for the potion she had made, there was absolutely no way she would ever partake in such an activity with Delia outdoors like this. The thought did not bother her in the slightest as for the first time in her life, Patsy felt present in the moment, for once not caring where she was and what may have been going on around her. They were protected by the charm Delia had cast, after all. She was with the woman she loved, wrapped safe in her arms, her fingers compelling Delia to make all those sweet noises that up until now Patsy had only been able to fantasize about. 

Patsy, for now, was simply letting herself feel. She could feel Delia’s weight against her her, feel the woman move in her arms, her torso and hips rising to meet her touches. Her mouth was open and pressed against Delia’s ear, her breath hot against her skin, her moans making the bumps under Delia’s skin rise. Patsy removed her fingers slightly, much to Delia’s dismay, but kept her hand under Delias knickers and simply used the flat of her fingers to stroke Delia, feeling how soft and wanting she was. She tried not to smile too mischievously at the sound of Delia whimpering and whining at her touches. 

‘Ooh, Patsy please don’t stop,’ Delia whispered, her breathing frantic. 

‘I won’t, I just need to…’ 

Despite feeling very confident in her motions, Patsy still needed to get familiar with Delia’s body, with how she needed to be touched. Not that it wasn’t similar to how she touched herself, but she needed to make sure Delia liked it. 

Patsy parted Delia and used her two fingers to make a ‘v’ on either side of her clit, using swift, sure strokes that had Delia crying out, grasping onto her tight, her hips rising to meet her fingers with each stroke. 

‘Oh, Pats, please don’t… I’m,’ Delia babbled through gritted teeth after what seemed like only seconds of Patsy’s concentrated stroking before Patsy could feel the smaller woman tense in her arms, her hips rolling against her hand as she cried out. It was a sound that had all the blood in Patsy’s body thrum painfully between her own legs, and she bit back a moan as she focused on letting Delia come against her hand. 

Soon, Patsy slowly pulled her hand away and embraced Delia, holding the woman close as she shook in her arms, kissing her ear as aftershocks rocked her body. 

‘Oh, Darling,’ Patsy sighed, moving to lay the smaller woman down as she worked to catch her breath. 

Patsy felt her own body guiding her motions as she moved to rest on top of Delia, her hips settling in between her legs. 

Delia merely giggled, her eyes barely open as she was smiling so wide. Her laughter was contagious, and Patsy found herself smiling too, and leaned down to pepper Delia’s face sweetly with kisses. 

Delia’s senses and motor control seemed to come back to her, and her nimble fingers began to unbutton Patsy’s coat, her legs wrapping around Patsy’s hips to lock her in and keep her there. One hand was placed on Patsy’s hip, her fingers fumbling with untucking Patsy's thermal shirt from her jeans, while the other cupped her face and pulled Patsy down for a searing kiss. 

Both women moaned at the contact, Delia’s mouth opening automatically at the touch of Patsy’s tongue lightly licking her upper lip. She sighed and worked her fingers through Patsy’s red hair, pulling her down against her hard, kissing her and extracting pleasant sighs from Patsy as she gently bit down on her bottom lip and tugged. 

‘Pats,’ Delia gasped as Patsy moved to lighty nip at her neck, ‘sweetheart,’ 

‘Hmm,’ Patsy hummed lazily, finding herself enchanted in some lustful haze. 

‘Can I just…’

Patsy gasped at the sudden chill she felt against her ribcage, Delia having hitched her thermal up, almost around her neck, exposing her bra. 

Before she could react, Delia had her mouth on her chest, her teeth grazing at the swell of Patsy’s breasts as her hands reached up to yank down her bra, freeing her from the confines of the undergarment. 

Patsy’s mouth opened in a silent gasp at the feeling of Delia’s soft lips wrapping around a pert nipple and pulling firm. The sensation sent a bolt of arousal down her body, and she groaned, almost in pain. She wondered if this was an unforeseen side effect. 

‘Delia, I need-’ 

‘I know, let me just…’

Patsy let out a moan and she felt strong thighs grip her hips, crushing her against Delia, giving her a taste of that delightful pressure she longed to feel, but it just wasn’t enough. 

She blushed fiercely and began to rock her hips against Delia as the woman did wonderful things to her breasts with her hands and mouth. It was torturous, but wonderful nonetheless. The pressure building up inside of her was growing, it was almost too much to bear. 

She buried her head into the crook of Delia's neck, a noise escaping her throat that she never thought she would ever hear herself make. 

‘Deels,’ she pleaded. 

Delia’s hands left her breasts, traveling down Patsy’s torso to quickly undo the button and zipper on her jeans, where her hand slipped under her knickers. 

Patsy gave a strangled moan in relief, one hand entangling itself in Delia’s hair as the woman used her mouth against her chest and her fingers sunk deep between wet folds, finally touching Patsy where she needed it most. 

Delia let out a hot breath against her skin, mumbling something in Welsh Patsy couldn’t understand. Patsy was too focused on the hand in her trousers, Delia’s body against hers, her warm mouth against sensitive skin. All the sensations were causing all the nerve endings under Patsy’s skin to come alive. Never did she think another person's touch could feel so good. 

‘Is this…?’ Delia trailed off, looking to Patsy inquiringly. 

‘Yes,’ Patsy panted out harshly, ‘keep go- _oh!’_

Delia’s curious fingers finally found her clit that caused Patsy to gasp. 

‘There?’ 

Eyes closed, Patsy bit her lip and nodded frantically

Delia smiled mischievously and worked her fingers in tandem with tugging on Patsy’s nipple with her mouth, a move that had Patsy cursing. 

‘Feel good?’ 

‘You know it does,’ Patsy replied through gritted teeth, making Delia giggle. 

‘Come here cariad,’ Delia smiled, bringing her free hand to Patsy’s cheek, ‘let me kiss you,’ 

That made Patsy smile too, before leaning down and giving Delia what she wanted. 

Pressing. Everything was pressing. Lips against lips, hands against skin, thighs against hips. All this pressing was doing nothing to alleviate the pressure building up within Patsy. The rough texture of Delia’s thermal top against her naked torso, her breasts and nipples that Delia had teased and sucked, made her whole body feel like it would ignite. Delia’s fingers were doing fittingly magical things to her with each passing second, two fingers circling over her clit again and again with just the right pressure, her mouth opened and her tongue doing things that made Patsy wondered what else she could be doing with it on other parts of her body. 

The thought brought her painfully close to her own orgasm. 

‘Deels,’ she pleaded. 

‘I know,’ Delia whispered, capturing Patsy’s lips with hers again. 

Patsy groaned when Delia opened her mouth, pressed her tongue against hers, and pulled down on her bottom lip, and Patsy was done. 

She broke away from their kiss with a gasp, all that tension building up in her body was suddenly released, crashing over her like waves against the shore. Delia’s mouth on her and the gentle coaxing of her fingers only elongated things as she rocked her hips, grinding herself against Delias hand.

Despite the cold, Patsy found herself breaking out into a sweat at the exertion. 

Out of breath, she slowly opened her eyes to find Delia’s pretty blue ones looking back at her, looking as if she were rather proud of herself for what she had just accomplished. 

Delia slowly slipped her hand out from Patsy’s knickers and wrapped both arms around the taller woman's shoulders. Patsy reacted in kind, scooping Delia up as best she could in her arms as they held one another, neither caring about the disheveled state of their hair and clothing, that they were a mess of limbs entangled in one another. 

‘You are so beautiful, cariad,’ Delia whispered into Patsy’s ear before kissing her there. 

Patsy smiled and kissed Delia on those endearing dimples of hers, ‘So are you, darling.’ 

‘I think that helped.’ 

‘Hmm?’ Patsy hummed idly, still very much focused on tasting as much exposed skin as was in reach.

‘The… you know, what you made,’ Delia finished with a sigh as Patsy’s hand found its way under her thermal top. 

‘Agreed.’ 

‘I feel it wearing off, but, if we wanted to continue…’ 

‘Yeah,’ Patsy breathed, feeling her heart uptick with a feeling of hope. 

‘I mean, I’m not saying I would need more now,’ 

‘Mmhmm,’ Patsy hummed, her hand finally finding the swell of Delia's breast, giving the sensitive flesh a firm squeeze. 

‘I wouldn’t say no to having some again at some other time,’ Delia continued with a sigh, her back arching slightly into Patsy’s touches. 

‘Neither would I,’ 

‘A sometimes thing,’ Delia said, closing her eyes and turning her head to the side. 

‘A sometimes thing,’ Patsy agreed, leaning slightly to capture an earlobe between her lips, gently pulling. 

What are you going to call it anyway?’ Delia asked. 

Patsy pulled away with a smile. 

‘Was thinking of naming it after you.’ 

‘Patience Mount, don’t you dare!’ Delia replied, swatting at her girlfriend. 

‘Sexy Felix Felicious,’ Patsy grinned, ‘another version of liquid courage.’ 

‘Oh, now you’re just being silly.’ 

Patsy smiled and nuzzled her nose against Delia’s neck, finding her mouth and soon capturing her lips with hers, engaging them in several more moments of deep kisses. Patsy felt like she had a hunger for Delia she couldn’t satisfy no matter how much they kissed. She wondered for a moment if Delia wanted to continue, to see how much further both were willing to go out here in the elements. 

Though when Patsy pulled away, she saw a look of panic suddenly flash over Delia’s face. Patsy looked to the sky to find a very familiar looking owl circling above them. 

She turned back to Delia who met her gaze, placing a finger over her lips to signal that they were to remain completely silent and motionless. 

The charm, Patsy thought to herself, Delia cast the charm earlier. All they needed to do was stay completely silent and they would remain undetected. 

However. 

The owl landed on a nearby branch, it’s wings fluttering noisily as it settled. 

Patsy narrowed her eyes, wishing her trousers had sunk a little lower on her hip to full on moon the nosy Professor Crane. 

Professor Crane in her owl form looked as bristled and grumpy as ever, blinking one eye at a time in their direction, but Patsy noticed that she never really seemed to focus on them. 

After several anxious moments where the two of them hardly dared to breathe, Professor Crane gave a screech and flew off, heading in the direction of the castle. 

The two women waited until Professor Crane had disappeared before they relaxed their muscles and breathed a sigh of relief. 

‘Well, that certainly killed any inkling of desire to continue,’ Delia bemoaned. 

‘Likewise,’ Patsy remarked, removing her hand from underneath Delia’s shirt. She admittedly missed the warmth, but reasoned there would be plenty more opportunities for that at a later time. 

‘Shall we head back?’ 

‘If we must,’ Patsy sighed, helping Delia to her knees. The two helped each other button up and fix their hair, and together they cleaned up their little camp. 

‘We may as well go to dinner tonight with the other professors. The students will be in their dormitories celebrating with whomever won the match earlier,’ Delia remarked, using her wand to douse the small fire in the pit. 

Patsy rolled her eyes, thinking the castle would be a madhouse late into the night. A dinner with their colleagues seemed like a much more relaxing way to spend their evening. 

‘You alright with that?’ 

‘I suppose,’ 

Delia looked at her inquiringly, and Patsy blew an exasperated breath out of the corner of her mouth, subsequently blowing her fringe out of her eyes. 

‘Just promise me you’ll come back to mine later… erm, if you want to.’ 

Delia smiled and bounced over to Patsy, giving her a playful kiss on the lips. 

‘I promise.’ 

* * *

Later that evening, dressed again in their usual wizarding world garb, Patsy and Delia arrived together in Hogsmeade to meet their fellow professors for a weekend supper at the Hog’s Head Inn. The inn was a bit more secluded and not as popular as The Three Broomsticks was with the students, making it a safer place for the professors to get together every once in a while to unwind. 

When they walked through the door, Patsy was rather surprised to find the place bustling with people, the small pub full of boisterous noise, clinking silverware and the sounds of empty mugs banging on wooden tables. 

‘Oi, there they are!’ Valerie cried out, waving to the two women. 

Patsy instinctively kept a hand on Delia’s shoulder as they made their way through the crowd. 

‘What on earth is going on here?’ she wondered aloud, noting with a hint of annoyance that several 18 year-old Gryffindors and their friends were propping up the bar.

‘Oh,’ Barbara started, ‘the Gryffindors are just celebrating their rather, uh...’ 

Barbara’s eyes nervously darted to Lucille, who looked rather miffed. 

‘They clobbered them!’ Valerie said excitedly, wrapping an arm around Patsy and grinning. ‘Oh, what a match mate! Should have seen the look on the keepers face when-,’ 

‘Can we please discuss something other than quidditch?’ Lucille begged, rubbing her temples. 

Patsy glared at Valerie, thinking that Lucille’s headache probably wasn’t from the noise, but from having to deal with the blow of her house losing so spectacularly that day. 

Seemingly reading Patsy’s mind, Delia interjected. 

‘Val, stop gloating,’ Delia pouted. 

‘Oh, but mate, it just feels so good to have finally won a game!’ Valerie exclaimed, clenching her fists. ‘Here, here!’ Valerie grabbed an enormous pitcher of something alcoholic from a passing tray and poured Delia a healthy glass. ‘Come on, lets celebrate!’ she continued, filling more glasses and passing them around to Patsy, Barbara, and Lucille, ‘It’s a good night to celebrate! To our health!’ 

Just then the door burst open, letting in a chill breeze and flurries of snow. All heads turned to see Madame Evangelina adding to the boisterous noise as she placed her hands on her hips triumphantly. Behind her was Professors Crane and Julienne, both women looking more reserved, but Patsy could tell they were fighting back a smug smile.

‘Oi lads! Next round is on me!’ Madame Evangelina shouted, and all the Gryffindors by the bar raised their fists and shouted approvingly. 

‘Gryffindors,’ Patsy tisked, downing her drink with one gulp. 

Professors Crane and Julienne left Madame Evangeline at the bar and made their way to the table with the rest of the staff. 

‘Now Julienne, as I was saying,’ 

‘Oh, yes, you had a concern Professor Crane?’ 

‘Yes. As I was scouting the grounds earlier, I noticed a disturbance by the Black Lake.’ 

Both Patsy and Delia froze, sneaking a side glance to one another. 

‘There’s lots of creatures out there, surely,’ Barbara interjected, ‘can’t imagine you’d find anything out there that’s out of the ordinary.’

‘What’s going on?’ Valerie chimed in. 

‘Professor Crane says she saw something by the lake.’ 

Patsy gulped and poured herself another drink from the pitcher. 

Professor Crane leaned in ominously close to Professor Julienne and looked around suspiciously. 

‘I believe there were _bandits_ out there,’ she said, ‘hiding behind some disillusionment charm.’ 

‘Bandits!?’ Valerie scoffed, ‘Professor, this isn’t the wild west. Think you’ve been watching too many of those muggle movies about the coyboys with Professor Monica Joan!’ 

‘Valerie, they’re cowboys,’ Lucille said, looking bored. 

‘No such thing. Boy cows are bulls, right? Valerie asked, looking at Delia. 

‘What are you looking at me for?!’ Delia asked. 

‘You grew up on a farm, didn’t you?’ 

‘Just because I’m from Wales-!’

‘Wouldn’t that make them bullcows?’ Barbara asked. 

‘No, bull boys,’ Lucille replied. 

‘But if bulls are boys you may as well say boy boy or bull bull. It doesn’t make sense!’ Valerie threw her hands up in the air dramatically.

‘I could sense there was a charm there,’ Professor Crane continued, ignoring the younger staff and turning her attention to Julienne, ‘and when I approached, I could _smell_ smoke. Someone had a fire going, I’m certain, but I couldn’t see it.’

Delia slouched ever more in her chair, probably thinking the same thing that Patsy was, that while their concealment charm worked, they may have forgotten that the charm does not also conceal smells. 

‘Professor Busby, you have twigs in your hair,’ Lucille interjected reaching over to pluck out an offending twig. 

‘Hey, didn’t you say you and Professor Mount were going for a hike during the match?’ Barbara asked, ‘Did you see anything suspicious out there?’ 

Delia’s mouth was clamped shut, her cheeks flushed and eyes wide as she fervently shook her head. 

‘I’ll ask Professor Noakes to take a walk around the grounds to have a look,’ Julienne reassured her, very much looking as if she wished to enjoy some supper and a spot of sherry rather than be discussing bandits by the Black Lake. 

‘I shall accompany her from the skys,’ Professor Crane said, her nose in the air. The two women sat next to one another and flagged down a little house elf to take their order for supper. 

‘Curious,’ came a sultry voice. 

Patsy whirled around to find that Trixie had suddenly manifested herself in the seat next to her. How, she did not know, all she knew was that her heart had leapt into her throat at the sight of the woman. 

‘What’s curious?’ she grumbled when she could breathe again. 

‘You and Professor Busby, gallivanting around in the forest by the Black Lake.’ 

‘So?’ 

‘In this weather?’ 

‘It wasn’t that cold.’

‘And now Phyllis is claiming someone cast a charm!’ 

‘A concealment charm, no less!’ Barbara interjected excitedly, slouching slightly when Patsy glared. ‘What? They’re hard…’ 

‘And she smelled fire?’ Trixie went on, looking at Patsy with an eyebrow raised. 

‘She smells a lot of things in her owl form,’ Patsy replied dryly, her fingers tapping nervously on the wooden table. 

‘You know the funny thing about campfires,’ Trixie began. 

‘Oh Merlin,’ Patsy bemoaned. 

‘Is that the smell of the smoke sticks to you,’ Trixie added, leaning in close to her Slytherin counterpart, ‘and you, sweetie, smell like smoke.’ 

Lucille clasped a hand over her mouth to conceal a giggle.

‘That means nothing, alright?’ Patsy replied, scooting away from Trixie, ‘I’m around fire all the time. In the castle, in the lab…’ she trailed off, feeling the bumps on her skin begin to rise as their ruse had clearly been seen through. 

‘Twigs in Delia’s hair, though?’ Lucille added. 

‘Oh, she’s the herbology professor, she’s always got foliage someplace,’ Patsy commented with a nervous laugh, petering out with a cough when no one else laughed. Once again, she polished off her drink with one gulp. 

‘Phyllis, this concealment charm,’ Trixie went on, addressing the woman across the table who was now holding a tiny glass of sherry between her forefinger and thumb, ‘what kind of charm would you say this was?’ 

‘It was very well done, I must admit,’ Phyllis said, looking clearly impressed, ‘I could recognize that it was done by someone who is very skilled. Possibly someone proficient in the dark arts!’ she said excitedly, turning to Julienne, ‘Professor, I must insist we ask Professor Miller to accompany Professor Noakes-’

Patsy groaned, hating the idea of yet another professor getting pulled into a wild goose chase. 

Trixie smiled smugly, sitting back in her chair knowingly as she gave a side eye to Delia. 

‘My, that sounds very much like the charm I’ve been training you to execute for the last several days, Professor Busby.’ 

The younger professors, including Patsy, all turned to look at Delia, the shade of her deep blush prominent even in the dark lighting of the pub. 

While annoyed at her friends, and the fact that no matter where they went on the castle grounds, it seemed, they had little to no privacy, Patsy managed to alleviate her urge to give any sort of witty retort for the sake of her more than embarrassed girlfriend slouching in her chair next to her. 

Patsy grasped onto Delia’s hand under the table and interlocked their fingers, resting their hands on the smaller woman’s lap to comfort her. 

Pouring herself another drink with her free hand, Patsy took a delicate sip as she addressed Valerie, who had not been paying them the slightest bit of attention given the festivities. 

‘So, who won the match?’ she asked innocently. 

Valerie immediately went off on a rant, gesturing to the massive number of people there dressed in their Gryffindor garb. 

Patsy tried to ignore all the knowing looks from the rest of their friends sitting with them at the small table. 

* * *

  
  


The end :)


End file.
